Jolien Boumkwo is a Belgian track and field athlete.  She competes in the shot put and the hammer throw.  She holds Belgian national records in both.She recently epitomized the idea of team spirit.  She competed in the 2023 European Athletic Team Championships, which were held in late June, in Chorzow, Poland.  After finishing in seventh place in the shot put, she ran in 100m hurdles.  She really isn’t built for this event.  (Again, she is a shot putter and hammer thrower).  However, her team needed her.  The team’s two hurdlers were unable to race due to injuries.  If Belgium did not have an athlete in the race, the team would be disqualified.  Therefore, she agreed to run.  Her time was not impressive.  It was 32.81 seconds, over 19 seconds slower than the winning time.  Her hurdles were cleared by carefully stepping over them, not by leaping over them.  Even so, she earned her team two points and prevented disqualification.  She said, “My team is the most important thing for me… I couldn’t let it happen to lose by one point” (I’ll Give it a Shot! Belgian Shot Putter Become Instant Cult Hero After Hurdles Attempt, June 25, 2023, foxsports.com). 

Application

1.  Be willing.  If there is a need, be willing to do what you dan to help meet that need. 

The Bible has many examples of volunteers.  (1) David volunteered to face Goliath (1 Samuel 17).  (2) Isaiah volunteered to preach (Isaiah 6).  (3) Nehemiah volunteered to go rebuild Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1-2).  (4) Jesus volunteered to wash the feet of the disciples (John 13).

Excuses are abundant.  “It is not my job.”  “It is not my talent.”  “Somebody else will do it” (but nobody does).  Therefore, many churches have a shortage of people willing to clean, organize space, teach, lead singing, lead prayers, preach, evangelize, serve as elders or deacons, or in some cases – even show up.  Let’s rid ourselves of the excuses.

2.  Be committed to the team and the cause.

Jolien Boumkwo was committed to her team.  She ran in a race that she had no chance of winning or even finishing better than last place.

We need to be committed to the church and the cause of Christ.  Paul said, “every part does its share” (Ephesians 4:16).  This is how it should be.  Peter said, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).  We each need to use whatever abilities we have for the cause.  May we be like the woman who anointed Jesus.  We are told, “She has done what she could” (Mark 14:8).