The Winter Olympics And The BibleНамуна

New Testament Verse Inspires Elana Meyers-Taylor to be Different Kind of Olympian

Elana Meyers-Taylor always wanted to be an Olympian. She tried traditional sports like softball, baseball, soccer, and track. Never did she imagine her ticket to athletic glory would be in bobsled.

Since emerging onto the international scene back in 2007, Meyers-Taylor has made sharing Bible verses with others a regular part of her routine. While competing during the 2017-18 season, for instance, she simply tweeted, “Iron sharpens iron,” which comes from Proverbs 27:17.

Meyers-Taylor also participated in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) book Heart of a Competitor as a guest devotional writer. Her story was based on Matthew 22:37–39, which she wrote had challenged her to take on a unique perspective of the competition—even those competing under the banner of another flag.

“Jesus replied, ‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37–39, NLT)

“For me, that means loving everyone within my sport—even the German and Canadian athletes that I compete against,” Meyers-Taylor said. “Sometimes, that love is expressed through a giving attitude. If one of my competitors needs equipment or help with a problem, I’m going to do what I can for them, regardless of what team they are on. It’s not easy. It’s very hard to show that kind of love for others, but at the end of the day, that’s what I’m called to do.

That mindset hasn’t kept her from being successful on the track. On November 15, 2014, she joined Canadian bobsledder Katie Humphries as one of the first women to compete alongside men at an international competition. Meyers-Taylor has also won four world Championships and two Olympic medals.

“Being an Olympian is one of the greatest honors I can ever imagine,” Meyers-Taylor added. “But I’ve learned that my purpose is much higher than representing my country as an elite athlete. I’ve learned that I am on this planet to serve God, and I can only do that if I love Him and love others.”