Parent Like You Mean It: Olympic Sized Love and Hate

How can we root on our nation's Olympic hopefuls while standing up against China's wrongdoings?

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Why aren’t we watching the Winter Olympics? Why aren’t we rooting? Why aren’t we excited to wear our red, white and blue and cheer on America’s Olympians?
Well, according to the Daily Wire’s sports reporter Joe Morgan, “40 percent of people polled said they don’t plan to watch the Olympics this year because they are opposed to China hosting the Games.”
Many people are upset that the Chinese government is allowed to be put on such a prestigious pedestal as the host country of the Winter Olympics in light of their persecution - no, genocide - of the Uyghur people within their borders over the past eight years. In addition to rounding up these Chinese Muslims into internment camps and subjecting them to forced labor, there have been countless reports of forced sterilization, forced abortions and genocide throughout China’s northwest region.
Then, there’s China’s forceful takeover of Hong Kong. For nearly a year-and-a-half, Beijing has unleashed a stamped of actions to bring the once-autonomous and thriving region into political lock step with the Chinese Communist Party: arresting activists, seizing assets, firing government workers, detaining newspaper editors, rewriting school curriculums and straight up “disappearing” people who dissent.
In fact, China is so globally intimidating, even the likes of Nancy Pelosi seemed scared when she issued this warning to our Olympic Athletes a couple months ago: “...you are there to compete. Do not risk incurring the anger of the Chinese government because they are ruthless. I know there is a temptation on the part of some to speak out while they are there, I respect that. But, I also worry about what the Chinese government might do to their reputations, to their families.”
And, that doesn't even touch on the reported responsibilities China shoulders for the global pandemic we’ve been dealing with these past years that has crippled the economies and well being of people all around the world!
But, there’s another side to this.
Why should our grievances against China stop us from rooting on Chloe Kim, Jamie Anderson, Brittany Bowe, John Shuster, the Hamilton Siblings, or Shaun White, among scores of other American Olympic hopefuls who are enduring the headaches and heartaches of competing without their families in the stands, using burner phones, while putting up with substandard living conditions, and constantly looking over their shoulders wondering what might come next.
The athletes bear no fault at all regarding the Uyghurs, Hong Kong or leaking and lying about the pandemic. Shouldn’t we be all the more enthusiastically watching the games and waving our flags?
All this got me thinking about something we have been discussing with some friends lately -
How can we love the unlovely?
How do we set an example and teach our kids to love people we whose beliefs, politics, or behaviors are not in alignment with our own?
It takes wisdom. I mean, we can’t set a good example and teach our kids what is right and good if we just allow evil to go unrestrained, right? I mean, I wouldn’t let my own kids treat each other terribly, and I’d call out their friends for treating people terribly, so why wouldn’t I also stand in protest of China? Or any other nonsensical oppressive regime, for that matter?
But, how are we supposed live so graciously in the face of injustice or even tyranny? Especially when even the Bible tells us:
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. (Proverbs 31:8-9)
How are we supposed to be a patient and nice and still provide justice for the oppressed? Shoot… by today’s standards, how are we to even define who is truly oppressed?
God has shown you what is good and what He wants us to do. 1) Do what is right and just; 2) Love mercy in all you do; 3) Live humbly, not hypocritical or arrogantly; and 4) Do all this as if you were walking alongside God at all times… because He’s everywhere, so you literally ARE. (Micah 6:8)
As parents, we are burdened with the responsibility to teach and set examples for our kids and their friends so that years from now, they will live rightly and at peace - with themselves and (hopefully) with one another.