Reading an excellent bio of Eric Lidell give to me by my dear son Samuel (a few months ago!!) I've come across some ideas I'd like to publicise.

After winning the race into which he was entered as an alternative to the one he couldn't run in because it was on the Lord's day :

'For Eric, there was a great feeling of joy but no sense of receiving God's blessing for refusing to run on Sunday. He had won - that's all. Decisions based on principle needed no circumstantial vindication. The Almighty was gracious, but not obligated to give first place in any of this worlds's contest to the person who did His will.' From this I understand that you can be right and believed to be in error and that the Lord is under no obligation to make that apparant. We're just to faithfully do what we know is right anyway and be content that the Lord knows the secrets of our hearts and accepts our feeble attempts to do our duty.

Being cast into the public eye and praised by all, on his return home from Paris, Eric had to offer 'a few words' on the spot. At St Giles' he responded thus:

' "over the entrance to the University of Pennsylvania, there is written this, 'in the dust of defeat as well as in the laurel of victory, there is glory to be found if one has done his best.' There are many here who have done their best, but have not succeeded in gaining the laurel of victory. To these, there is as much honour due as to those wo have received the laurel of victory." '

What wonderfully encouraging words from a truly wise and mature-above-his-years 22 year-old. His mum was rightly proud of him.