How This Silver-Winning Olympian Uses His Gift to Glorify God
By Movieguide® Contributor
Second-time Olympian Daniel Roberts won America a silver medal in the men’s 110-meter hurdles final on Thursday, and he’s giving God all the glory.
“Everything outside of my faith is really what fits in,” he said of how he frames his mindset. “When that is right, I know that I can go out there and give [God] my all, because at the end of the day, we’re all here to worship God in our own special way. And this is just a different way that I use my abilities and my gifts to bring glory to him.”
Roberts’ left arm got scraped during the event, but he looks at his injuries positively.
“It’s always for our good,” said Roberts, who previously tore his ACL. “Knowing that at the end of the day…this isn’t the end. This is just something that I have to get through or grow through. Maybe it’s something that was meant for me to grow and change. So that I can be the man of God I’m meant to be.”
“I want to do my part in sharing the good news of what he’s done in my [life],” he explained. “People outside of this when they may see me and only see me as the track and field athlete, the Olympian, but if I can show them the other side of it and maybe bring them along for the journey then I’m doing great things in my eyes. I’m doing exactly what I’m meant to do.”
The day after his win, Roberts quoted lyrics by Housefires on Instagram with a picture of him holding the U.S. flag. He said:
“’May I be like Mary
Open to the movements of Your heart
Blessed in the keeping of Your promise
A faithful friend of God.
May I love Your presence
More than any gift You’ve given me
More than any crown I could receive
More than all my dreams.’”
Roberts’ father, Stephen Roberts, is the Track and Field Coach in Mount Vernon, Georgia. Ahead of the Olympics, he said he’s more proud of his son for his faith than his accomplishments.
“I am super proud of my son for all that he has accomplished so far in his career, but most importantly I am proud of his faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,” he said. “He continues to do amazing things and I believe we can learn from his faith and dedication to his craft.”
Movieguide® recently reported on the faith of fellow hurdles Olympian Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone:
With all that McLaughlin-Levrone has endured, she holds to her faith.
Following the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (which occurred in 2021 due to COVID), McLaughlin-Levrone shared a photo of her after her event with an American flag over her back on her Instagram.
The track and field star wrote, “Let me start off by saying, what and honor it is to be able to represent not only my country, but also the kingdom of God. What I have in Christ is far greater than what I have or don’t have in life. I pray my journey may be a clear depiction of submission and obedience to God. Even when it doesn’t make sense, even when it doesn’t seem possible.”
