The Price of Dedication

     I stand in awe of the swimmers on my son's club swimming team. They basically swim two practices a day and they do this year-round. Many of them have aspirations of a college scholarship and even the Olympics. And when I say, "Olympic aspirations," it is not a far-fetched dream; some of them are good enough to attend Olympic qualifying meets.
     My son, God bless him, is hard-working. I am very proud of his efforts to be the best swimmer he can be, but in order to get to "the next level," it would require him swimming "two-a-day" practices year-round. It would be an incredible commitment of time and energy.
     Is it worth it? What would he have to sacrifice in order to reach this goal?
     Well, for starters, it would mean sacrificing a social life outside of swimming. And as much as we might knock "having a social life," it is important. We are not machines and we need friends and down-time.
     It would also mean giving up commitments to participating in church-related activities. These club teams are not afraid to compete (and even practice) on Sunday mornings! Nothing is sacred in youth sports these days, whether we are talking swimming, soccer, or whatever. Sundays are just as viable an option for games, practices, and tournaments, and there does not appear to be a concept of Sabbath worship in youth sports today.
     It would mean the abandonment of other goals and aspirations, such as music. My son is a gifted drummer, and it is exceedingly difficult for a young man to excel in more than one thing these days. It almost comes down to swimming OR music.
     There are blessings in pursuing goals in swimming (and other sports for that matter) with a single-minded devotion. It teaches hard work and commitment. It teaches the importance of good physical health. It brings self-confidence. But I can't help but wonder if "getting to the next level" is too big of a sacrifice to make.
     Athletics is one of the common forms of idol worship in our culture today. Idols, it is helpful to remember, are not merely the funny statues that people keep on their mantles in far-away lands. Idols are any created things that we allow to replace God in our lives.