July 31, 2024 Weekly Update
The Olympics in Paris are underway and I love tuning in each night to watch the athletes compete as they give it their all! A few nights ago the world was captivated by the U.S. Men’s gymnastics team. Stephen Nedoroscik, a 25-year-old pommel horse “specialist” on the team was crucial in helping his team bring home a bronze medal in Paris, the men’s team’s first Olympic medal in 16 years. The media latched on to the fact that Stephen wore glasses, and stayed sitting – sometimes with his eyes closed – as the rest of his team competed or stood and cheered. But at the very last event, Stephen removed his glasses in Clark Kent style and completed his routine. He nailed it and helped the U.S. Medal.
Stephen wears glasses and avoids bright light because he has two eye issues. He has Strabismus – crossed eyes – and Coloboma – which is a genetic condition meaning he’s missing tissue in or around his eye. It can lead to vision loss, and it’s why he is light sensitive. These issues are why Stephen competed on the pommel horse with his eyes closed at times. He explains it this way: “I don’t think I actually use my eyes on pommel horse,” he told the Washington Post. “It’s all feeling. I see with my hands.”
We are not Olympians. And as humans, we tend to give too much emphasis to what we see vs how we feel. But sight isn’t 100% effective or helpful all the time – just ask Stephen! Or ask any forensic artist or psychologist. We can second guess what we think we saw, or our biases or opinions make us react to who and what we see around us!
For too long, religion has told us that we can’t trust our feelings. Our emotions can be manipulated, but to shut out our feelings completely misses the full story of how God created us to live as humans! If we lean into our feelings, strengthen our emotional lives, and connect with our true self at the center of our spirit – we can listen to our feelings and allow God to guide us as we trust the Spirit’s work within us and our spiritual communities.
Olympic hero Stephen was almost perfect on an Olympic apparatus that most would fear taking on with full sight, let alone none. Yet he depends on what he feels, not on what he sees, and apparently that makes all the difference. The Apostle Paul’s words about living faith from 2nd Corinthians 4 come to mind. 16 So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 17 For our slight, momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, 18 because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen, for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.
You can read more here: https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Living/stephen-nedoroscik-pommel-horse-olympics/story?id=112434950
Blessings,
Pastor Jared