2024巴黎奧運百年紀念：艾瑞克·李德爾的故事
隨著2024年巴黎奧運會的臨近，我們最好撣掉《烈火戰車》(1981) 老舊DVD 上的灰塵，重新認識 100年前巴黎奧運的一位英雄。影片中的主角是兩位代表英國的短跑冠軍：來自英格蘭的哈羅德·亞伯拉罕 (Harold Abrahams) 和來自蘇格蘭的艾瑞克·李德爾 (Eric Liddell)。亞伯拉罕出生於一個富裕的猶太家庭；李德爾則出生在中國，其父母是一對來自倫敦傳道會 (LMS) 的蘇格蘭傳教士。 亞伯拉罕的動力源於想被接受的需要，而李德爾則受其基督教信仰的驅使。兩人都是100米金牌得主的熱門人選。
影片中，當李德爾在跨海峽渡輪上得知百米預賽將在周日舉行時， 他出於良心原因退出了比賽。這使得球隊經理大為驚愕。事實上， 賽程安排幾個月前就已經公佈。李德爾因同樣的原因也退出了4×100和4×400的接力項目。不僅球隊管理層感到不安，媒體也指責他不愛國。
影片將100米預賽當天煤渣跑道上的勝利和悲劇與巴黎蘇格蘭教堂的崇拜情景交織在一起。李德爾在教堂朗讀《以賽亞書》第40 章第15、17、23、 28、29 節，並以第31節結束：「但仰望耶和華的人必重新得力。他們必像鷹一樣展翅高飛，他們奔跑也不困倦，他們行走也不疲乏。」故事繼續講述李德爾參加他第二擅長的 400 米賽跑。 比賽前，美國著名短跑運動員傑克遜·肖爾茨 (Jackson Scholz) 遞給他一張紙條，上面寫著：“「誰尊重我， 我就會尊重誰。」事實上，這句話出於《聖經》：「尊重我的，我必尊重他。」永遠祝福你最大的成功。” 李德爾立刻知道這出於撒母耳記上第2章30節。他出人意料地從較難的外跑道贏得了比賽，並打破世界紀錄。事實上，李德爾是一位名列前茅的400米跑步運動員。他還在 200米賽跑中獲得銅牌，擊敗排名第六的亞伯拉罕，儘管後者確實榮獲 100 米賽跑冠軍。此外，亞伯拉罕在 1936 年結婚前後皈依了基督教。
按照一些描述，李德爾的妹妹珍妮曾敦促他停止體育運動並從事傳教工作。李德爾後來在交談中對她說：「我相信上帝創造我是有目的的。是為了中國。但祂也讓我跑得快。當我奔跑時，我感受到祂的喜悅。」其實珍妮並不反對他參加體育活動，比如李德爾曾七次代表蘇格蘭參加橄欖球比賽。
影片開頭，李德爾在愛爾蘭-蘇格蘭田徑運動會上向蘇格蘭學生發表佈道演講：
今天你來觀看一場比賽。看誰會獲勝。碰巧我是贏家。但我希望你不僅僅觀看比賽。我想讓你參與其中。
我想把信仰比喻成賽跑。這很難。它需要專注的意志力和發自靈魂的能量。當獲勝者衝線時，你會感到欣喜若狂——特別是如果你事先下過注。但這欣喜能持續多久？你回家。也許你的晚餐燒焦了。也許，也許你還沒找到工作。面對生活的現實，我又是誰能說出「要相信」、「要有信心」的話呢？
我想給你一些更恆久的東西，但我只能指示方向。我沒有贏得比賽的妙招。每個人以自己的方式奔跑。
讓比賽走到終點的力量從何而來呢？從內部。
耶穌說：「看哪，神的國就在你們心裡。」「如果你們真心全心尋求我，你們一定會找到我」－－如果你將自己委身於基督的愛。祂的愛就是你直奔終點的力量所在。
這當然只是李德爾講道一個相當淡化的版本，其中綜合引用了路加福音第17章21節、申命記第4章29節和耶利米書第29章13節的經文。但對於一部 20世紀80年代奧斯卡獲獎影片來說，這已經不錯。
1925年，李德爾作為教育傳教士回到中國。從1942 年起他被關押在日本集中營，直到1945年2 月因未確診的腦腫瘤、過度勞累和營養不良去世。李德爾享年43 歲。在集中營他教導並組織青年活動，提供牧養和講道。
這是一個真正值得慶賀的運動員。他用上帝所賜的才能，將一切奉獻給上帝的榮耀。他用言語和實際行動傳播福音。他度過了正直且最終犧牲自我的一生。
——馬爾科姆‧普倫蒂斯
Paris 24 – A Hundred Years: The Story of Eric Liddell
As we approach the Paris Olympics, we could do worse than dust off our old DVD of “Chariots of Fire” (1981), to refresh our acquaintance of one of the heroes of the Paris Games exactly 100 years ago. The two main characters in the film were champion sprinters representing Great Britain, Harold Abrahams of England and Eric Liddell of Scotland. Abrahams was from a wealthy Jewish family and Liddell was born in China to a couple of Scottish LMS missionaries. Abrahams was driven by a need for acceptance, Liddell by his Christian faith. The two were hot favourites for the gold medal in the 100 metres.
In the film, Liddell finds out on the cross-channel ferry that the heats of the 100 metres are to be held on a Sunday and withdraws from the event for conscientious reasons, much to the consternation of the team manager. In reality, the schedule had been known for months and, in fact, he also pulled out of the 4×100 and 4×400 relay events for the same reason. Not only were team-management upset, but elements of the press accused him of being unpatriotic.
The film covers the day of the 100 metre heats by intercutting the triumph and tragedy on the cinder running track with worship at the Scots Church in Paris, where Liddell reads the lesson from Isaiah 40, verses 15, 17, 23, 28, 29 concluding with verse 31: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint”. The story continues to Liddell’s running in his less-preferred 400 metres. Just before he runs, the famous US sprinter Jackson Scholz, hands him a piece of paper on which the words are written, ‘He that honours me I will honour.’ In reality, the words were “In the old book it says, ‘for them that honour me I will honour’. Wishing you the best of success always,” and the note was not from Scholz but from some team-mates, passed on by a team masseur. Liddell immediately knew the quotation from 1 Samuel 2:30. He unexpectedly won the race from the difficult outside lane, breaking the world record. In reality, he was a highly rated 400 metre runner. He also won a bronze medal in the 200 metres, beating Abrahams into sixth, though the latter did win the 100 metres. Furthermore, Abrahams converted to Christianity around the time he married, in 1936.
Afterwards, talking with his sister Jenny, who is portrayed as urging him out of sport and into missionary work, Liddell says to her: “I believe God made me for a purpose. For China. But He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure”. In fact, Jenny was not opposed to his sporting activities, which also included seven Rugby caps for Scotland.
Early in the film, Liddell is shown giving an evangelistic address to Scottish students during an Irish-Scottish athletics meeting.
You came to see a race today. See someone win. Happened to be me. But I want you to do more than just watch a race. I want you to take part in it.
I want to compare faith to running in a race. It’s hard, requires concentration of will, energy of soul. You experience elation when the winner breaks the tape — ‘specially if you’ve got a bet on it. But how long does that last? You go home. Maybe your dinner’s burnt. Maybe, maybe you haven’t got a job. So who am I to say, “believe,” “have faith,” in the face of life’s realities?
I would like to give you something more permanent, but I can only point the way. I have no formula for winning the race. Everyone runs in her own way, or his own way.
And where does the power come from to see the race to its end? From within.
Jesus said, “Behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” “If, with all your hearts ye truly seek Me, ye shall ever surely find Me” — if you commit yourself to the love of Christ. And THAT is how you run the straight race.
In reality, of course, this is a rather watered-down version of what he would actually have said, with the scriptural quotations a mash-up of Luke 17:21, Deuteronomy 4:29 and Jeremiah 29:13. But for an Oscar-winning film in the 1980s, it’s not too bad.
In 1925, Liddell returned to China as an educational missionary. He was in a Japanese internment camp from 1942 until he died from an undiagnosed brain tumour, overwork and malnutrition in February 1945 at the age of 43. In the camp, he taught and organized youth activities, gave pastoral guidance and preached.
Now, here is truly an athlete to celebrate. He used his God-given gifts, he gave his all to the glory of God and proclaimed the gospel in word and deed. His life was one of integrity and ultimately of self-sacrifice.
– Malcolm Prentis
