By Mallory Mattingly
USA Track and Field athlete Freddie Crittenden explained how Jesus’ sacrificial love should change our lives while on the “Sports Spectrum Podcast.”
“The only thing that makes sense in my head is that Jesus is the core of what love is, and I’m trying not to be cliche,” Crittenden explained. “It seems so simple, right? But at the core of it, if love isn’t there, then it can’t be tied to who Jesus was, to what He did when He was on earth, and how He interacted with everyone around Him.”
The hurdler added: “No matter who you are, no matter where you are from, no matter what your life consists of, or what you do, Jesus put His life on the line. He died because His love is infinite, and if He can do that, who are we to diminish our love for another person because they don’t agree, or they don’t live by these standards?”
So what really is love?
“I think Jesus is the expression of love,” Crittenden said, adding, “and love encompasses everybody, regardless of where they’re from, who they are, whatever the situation, or the variations of a person can be. Jesus is the love that connects everybody.”
Last year at the Paris Olympics, Crittenden finished 6th in the Men’s 110m Hurdles.
But the athlete’s rise to the Olympics was not easy. In fact, he almost gave up his track and field dreams when he was 26.
“I graduated college in 2017,” Crittenden said. “I missed out on a couple teams. A couple fourth-place finishes. That left me in a place where shoe companies and sponsors were like, ‘We don’t want to bet on this guy.'”
But he didn’t give up, working “at Game Stop, in a warehouse and as a substitute teacher” to make up for his lack of sponsors.
Related: How Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Glorifies God Through Her Career
He earned fourth place at the World Championships in 2022, and that was the beginning of his career rebound.
“A big moment was last year making my first team and my wife was there. My coach was there. Just having that moment with all of them was a beautiful thing,” he said.
Now he uses his platform for good.
“My existence is to inspire ppl to fight for everything they love. Even if you lose some battles. The reward is in the fight. And the reward is in the destination. The 🔑 is to ‘Never Give Up,” Crittenden wrote on Instagram.
We should also strive to love others with the kind of love Christ has shown us.
Read Next: How God Carried Team USA Track Star to Surprise Gold
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