All eyes are on Sochi as we cheer on the Canadian Olympic team, and for many of you, the teams of your homeland. These dedicated athletes have shown extraordinary skill and discipline to make it this far. Winning any medal is an amazing honour, but of course, everyone dreams of gold. Who would trade gold for bronze on purpose? There is an interesting story in the Bible about a whole nation trading gold for bronze, and it is a compelling reminder of accountability and consequences. King Solomon, third king of ancient Israel, had so much gold that silver was about as valuable as gravel. He had 500 shields made of hammered gold to be used for ceremonial occasions. They were displayed
in his palace when not in use. But the people were unfaithful to God. Solomon's heir rejected his father's faith, and the spiritual and moral condition of the nation deteriorated rapidly. As a result, they were divided in a civil war and the capital city, Jerusalem, came under attack by a powerful foreign enemy.
The city was looted and the golden shields were taken. The king made new shields to replace them, but had to settle for bronze. The gold shields were never recovered.
A couple of lessons for us today: 1) God holds each of us accountable to him, even if we reject him or don't even believe he exists; and 2) Today's choices determine our tomorrows. Let's never trade gold for bronze.
