It’s a fake!! Olympic gold medals aren’t gold! At least not solid gold. For some reason, this was the year the question of the composition of Olympic medals came to me, so I did a little gold-digging!

The Olympic Committee has a set standard for the medals. The Gold is 529 grams, 6 of which are actual gold, the rest pure silver. A silver medal is 525g of pure silver. The bronze medals are 455g of mostly copper. Based on the price of gold, silver, and copper today, the gold medal’s metal value is approximately $937. The metal value of a silver medal is worth $467, and metal value of a bronze medal is roughly $4. These numbers do not take into account the design and workmanship that go into the  making of the medal itself, nor the fact that for this Olympics the medals contain a hexagonal piece of the Eiffel Tower. Not to mention – they ARE Olympic Medals! But how about that for a kicker? The title “gold medal” really just describes its color!

If you are a trivia buff, here is some information for you to tuck into your hat. The first Olympic Games, held in Athens, Greece, in 1896, awarded the first-place athletes a silver medal, an olive branch, and a diploma. Second place was given a bronze (copper) medal, a laurel branch, and a diploma. Third place got nothing. The next Olympics held in 1900 in Paris, gave no medals at the games, but rather cups, trophies, statuettes, money, or works of art, depending on the sport. After those games were over, I guess the Olympic Committee decided it wanted to establish some sort of continuity, so they tracked down those winning athletes and gave them medals. Thus, the medal tradition was born. In 1904 and 1908, the top athletes received solid gold medals, silver for second, and bronze for third. Since 1912, alas, the gold has been “gilt-silver”, which is gold-plated silver, or vermeil.  

In actuality, a prize is just a token to mark an incredible and enduring effort by an individual or a team – it is about the competitors and their pursuit of excellence. At each level, winning athletes are showered with attention, accolades, adoration, and admiration. Let’s face it, to make it to the Olympics themselves, then to the podium, much less the top of the darn thing, you have some serious dedication, discipline, and talent. These athletes inspire people in every country of the world. Most have overcome some hardship along the way. The media perpetuates viewers’ emotional engagement with the Olympic participants by delving into and reporting the broken roads traveled to get there.

Even the apostle Paul must have enjoyed participating in and watching athletes compete. He speaks of the discipline, endurance, and self-control needed to “go for the gold”. He tells followers of Christ that we are running a race as well. I guess he calls it a race so that we will maintain urgency and focus in our pursuit of heaven. He says to throw off the weights and sins that hinder us and to run with endurance. (Hebrews 12:1-2) He encourages us to forget what is behind and strain forward: “Press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 3:13-14) “So run that you may obtain [the prize]. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)

Did ya’ catch that?! The prize we Christ-followers are running for is the upward call of God through Jesus, and it is imperishable. Once we decide to follow Him, our prize is guaranteed, and eternal: we will be in heaven with Him forever! Endurance and discipline are necessary to stay the course as well as to encourage and inspire others to want to come with us. The enemy will try to break up our road and break us down as we travel. Jesus fills us with His joy as He gives us the strength and peace to finish well. When we split the tape leading from this earth into heaven, Paul paints this picture: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

The prize we run for isn’t solid or even fake gold. That is merely pavement in heaven. We are pursuing the most excellent crown of righteousness and life! As I watch the winning athletes celebrate their victories with unbridled happiness, I realize that is NOTHING compared to the joy we have in store! Let’s go for it!