At the Olympic Games in Paris in 1924, the U.S. team was favored in the four-man canoe race. One member of that team was a young man named Bill Havens. As the time for the Olympics neared, it became clear that Bill’s wife would give birth to her second child about the time that Bill was scheduled to compete.
So, Bill found himself in a dilemma. Should he go to Paris and risk not being at his wife’s side when their child was born? Or should he withdraw from the team and remain behind?
Bill’s wife insisted that he go to Paris. After all, he had been working toward this goal for many years; it would be the culmination of a lifelong dream. After much soul-searching, Bill decided to withdraw from the competition and remain behind with his wife so that he could be with her when their child arrived. Bill considered being at her side a higher priority than going to Paris to try to win an Olympic gold medal.
The United States four-man canoe team won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. But Bill had no regrets. His family was more important to him than the Olympics. Bill was present when his wife gave birth to their baby boy, whom they named Frank.
Twenty-eight years later, in 1952, Bill received a cablegram from Frank. It was sent from Helsinki, Finland, where the 1952 Olympics were being held. The cablegram read as follows:
Dear Dad,
Thanks for waiting around for me to be born in 1924. I am coming home with the gold medal you should have won.
Your loving son,
Frank
Frank Havens was bringing home the Olympic gold medal for the 10,000-meter canoeing event. Now he wanted to share his medal with the one who set aside his own personal dreams for a higher priority: his son.
Establishing proper priorities ultimately brings the greatest rewards—like no regrets and deeper joys.
What are those “higher priorities” that need to be established in our lives? Jesus said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37–39).
Loving God supremely and loving others unselfishly begins with your family. These are the top priorities! And living by these priorities brings the greater blessings
—David Sargent (adapted from Steve Goodier)
