Roooar! Spectators cheered and clapped when Olympic gymnast Nadia Elena Comăneci graciously landed on both feet, inventing the perfect 10. At age 14, this Romanian teen scored what nobody had dreamed possible. Up until the 1976 Montreal Olympics, every Olympic Game score was four digits long because nobody had ever earned a perfect 10. The scoreboard displayed 1.00, a representation of her perfect score.
The song that she performed to was renamed Nadia after that competition. It earned a Grammy Award the following year. Though she’s won five gold Olympic medals and appeared on the cover of many world-famous magazines, people don’t name the song or mention the medals or point to her pictures when they talk about her. People who remember her always say that she was the first Olympic gymnast to receive a perfect 10. At her young age, she changed what spectators and competitors alike expected from gymnasts. As wonderful and memorable as that is, Nadia’s achievement was temporary. Christians are called to be known not for great photos, award-winning music, or for being famous, but rather for fully relying on Jesus and for telling others about His love. We do this for a prize that will last forever.
