Daring to be Peculiar: Eric Liddell

"I believe that God made me for a purpose...(the mission)but He
also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure."

In the 1981 film Chariots of Fire, these few words show the character of a man destined for greatness, not because of what he did for God, but rather what he didn't do for God. This is the story of a man who dedicated his talent and his life to the Lord, even when others mocked and shunned him.

Eric Henry Liddell was born on January 16, 1902 in Tientsin, China to Rev. and Mrs. James Liddell who were Scottish missionaries there. He was educated in China until the age of 6 when he and his brother Rob were sent to Eltham College in England. It was there that Eric's athletic abilities came to light and by age 15 he was captain of both the cricket and the rugby team, but it was his skill in running that brought him fame in Scotland. At Edinburgh University, he excelled in the 100 meter and the 200 meter races. In the 1924 AAA Championships, he set a British record of 9.7 seconds in the 100 meters (a record that would not be broken for 35 years) and soon became known as the "Flying Scotsman".

But none of this fame and glory changed Eric. He remained a humble, Christian man who lived out his faith everyday. He was encouraged by church leaders to use his new fame as a tool for God's kingdom. He became a prominent evangelist in Britain and spoke openly about his faith to anyone who would listen. He used a simple message, relating God to every aspect of human life. In this way he brought God's message to thousands of people all over Britain.

Ian Charleson as Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire

In 1924, Eric was chosen as a runner for the British Olympic team. The British people were ecstatic. They felt that he was their best hope for gold in the 100 meters, a race that had never been won by a Briton since the modern Olympics began in 1896. But when the schedule was published months before the games began, disaster struck. The first heats for 3 of Eric's races, including the 100 meters, were set for a Sunday, the Lords Day! Eric was crestfallen, yet he never hesitated. He immediately withdrew from those races. The British authorities tried to get the Olympic officials to change the schedule, but they refused. Many people suggested that Eric run the races and dedicate them to God. Other were angry and called Eric a traitor for refusing to run for his country. All of these criticisms hurt Eric, but as much as he wanted to run for his country, he wanted to obey God even more. When the first heats of the 100 meters were run, Eric was preaching at the Scottish Kirk in Paris, and fellow Briton Harold Abrahams was beginning his way towards the gold medal in that event.

Eric now shifted his focus to his two remaining races. He won a bronze medal in the 200 meters, a first for Scotland. Than the day came for the 400 meters, a race in which Eric was not the favorite. As he went to the starting block, an unknown man handed Eric a slip of paper with Samuel 2:30 written on it. "Those who honor Me I will honor". Not only did Eric win the race and the gold medal, he also broke the existing world record with a time of 47.6 seconds. Eric became a hero to his family, his country and the world.

The following year, Eric returned to China and became a missionary like his parents. He continued to use his fame and athletic ability to bring people to the Lord and was loved by all who met him. When the Japanese invaded China, Eric was placed in a internment camp, which he then helped organize and govern. On February 21, 1945, Eric Liddell died of a brain tumor and was mourned by his fellow internees, his native country of Scotland, and many others around the world.

Like Eric, times will come when we are asked to compromise our faith for ourselves, for others, or simply for the expectations of the world. But we must also be like Eric and not compromise our faith for anyone, but rather obey God in all things. We will more than likely be taunted, mocked and shunned for following God's commandments; but as Peter said in Acts 5: 29 "...We ought to obey God rather than man."

Many will also suggest to us like they did to Eric that we should disobey the commandments, but give the glory to God. Samuel clearly warns us of that in 1 Samuel 15:22. "But Samuel replied: 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.'"

Eric Liddell was willingly to be peculiar because he had already dedicated every aspect of his life to God. When we dedicate all that we have to God our lives will stand out, not to bring honor for ourselves, but to bring glory to God. Let us be like Eric Liddell and run the race that the Lord has set before us for His pleasure and His glory.

More on Eric Liddell: There are too many aspects of this remarkable man's life for me to fit onto this one post. I greatly encourage all of you to learn more about him. I have found the following to be great resources:

Eric Liddell by Catherine Swift (Bethany House Publishers, 1990 ISBN 1-55661-150-1)

Wikipedia

I also suggest watching the movie Chariots of Fire. This well-made movie depicts the Olympic career of both Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams (who ran with very different goals in mind). It is rated PG for a few casual swear words. It also contains a few kisses (usually hidden by the lady's hat) and one lower cut dress typical of the style of the 1920s.