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On 13 July 2001 the International Olympic Committee announced the 2008 Olympic Games would be held in Beijing. China erupted in a sea of rejoicing! That was seven years ago! What a lot Beijing has had to do to prepare for the Games. Buildings have been demolished and 37 venues, some quite unique, prepared for different events. On top of that there has been the necessary infrastructure development to cope with the influx of tourists, athletes, officials and media and then there has been all the volunteers and officials to be prepared for the part they need to play. Even taxi drivers are learning to speak English so as to be able to communicate with visitors.
Achim Steiner, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director, said: "The more than $12 billion spent by the Municipal Government and Government of China, appears to have been well spent - and will be even more well spent if the lessons learnt and measures adopted are picked up by municipalities across the country so as to leave a real and lasting nationwide legacy".
On the 8.08.2008, an auspicious day in the Chinese calendar, the Olympic Games, for the first time ever in Games history, begin in Beijing, China. It will be a proud day for a proud nation that has accomplished so much but which has recently suffered so much as well.
The world will be watching the Opening Ceremony and then over successive days, people will be glued to their TV screens as athletes push themselves to the limit to break records and achieve their goal of winning a medal! The mounting medal tally will be watched with great interest.
Each country's flag has meaning and is taken to the Games as the banner under which its athletes will compete. Imagine the sight 203 colourful flags of participating countries fluttering from their flagpoles! The athletes, often dressed in trendy outfits sporting their country colours, will proudly march behind their flag in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. They know to which country they belong and certainly would not think of representing any other.
Every athlete has been training extremely hard and is attending the Games to honour their country and if possible, to win a gold, silver or bronze medal. For most, they will be honoured just to compete for so few are actual winners of medals. An athlete's proudest moment will be if he/she wins a gold medal and his/her flag flies proudly on the highest flag pole, as their country's anthem is played and people stand to honour the winner. Many an athlete has tears in their eyes at that moment of achievement and identity.
Belonging, being firmly attached to one's country is important. This month both Singapore and Malaysian citizens celebrate their National Days. Flags fly, parades and celebrations are held and people use the public holiday to express pride in their country - and so they should! We are all citizens of our country and should be proud of our heritage.
The Salvation Army has a tri-coloured flag that flies in 115 countries around the world. Its blue border represents the purity of God; it's crimson red, the blood of Jesus who died on the Cross to be our Saviour, and the yellow star represents the fire of the Holy Spirit who motivates the Salvationist for witness and service. Since 1878 (when Catherine, William Booth's wife, designed the flag and presented the first one to Coventry Corps in England), millions of Salvationists have felt honoured to stand beneath this flag. To be enrolled as a soldier of The Salvation Army, pledging to serve God and others through the Army corps to which each has chosen to belong, is also a sacred and precious moment of one's life. Yes, it's important to belong, and like the athletes who are participating in the Olympic Games, to be active in service, training the mind in the Word and being proud to witness for whom you have given your life - Jesus Christ.
Athletes at the Games are also very proud to wear their colourful ‘uniforms' so as to be readily identified with their country. As Salvation Army soldiers, let us also be proud to wear our uniforms, for we are soldiers of the King of Kings, and always on duty to show our inward love for God through our outward love for others. We are ‘saved to save' or ‘saved to serve' as our ‘S's' remind us.
But let's not be over-proud of our flag for it is just a symbol, or of our uniform, important though it is, but make sure that we truly belong, remaining attached to Jesus who said: Remain in Me and I will remain in you! ... Apart from Me you can do nothing! (John 15: 4 & 5)
Let's identify with Jesus and stand proud so as to leave a real and lasting (eternal) legacy upon our country and fellow citizens!
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