HOW TO CONQUER THE WORLD
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33 KJV
(All scripture quotations are from the King James Version)
Jim Thorpe did not begin life with the advantages we might expect for a man who would become one of the most celebrated athletes of the twentieth century. Yet at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, he won gold in both the pentathlon and the decathlon. During the Games, King Gustaf V of Sweden famously told Thorpe, “You, sir, are the greatest athlete in the world.” Thorpe’s simple reply has become part of sports history: “Thanks, King.”
His early life was anything but easy. Thorpe, a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, was born in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. His parents were of both Native and European ancestry. His twin brother, Charlie, died of pneumonia when the boys were nine. Thorpe’s mother died a few years later, and his father died while Jim was still a young man. He also spent part of his youth in government-run Indian boarding schools, including the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania—institutions created to assimilate Native children and separate them from their languages and cultures.
At Carlisle, Thorpe met Glenn “Pop” Warner, the legendary football and track coach. One day, Thorpe watched members of the track team practicing the high jump. Still dressed in everyday clothes, he cleared a bar set at about five feet, nine inches and broke the school record. That moment helped launch an extraordinary athletic career. Thorpe competed in track and field and football, and also excelled in sports including baseball, lacrosse, basketball, boxing, and even ballroom dancing. Years later, in 1920, he became the first president of the American Professional Football Association, the organization that would become the National Football League.
Long before the Olympics, Thorpe had already shown remarkable athletic ability. But one decision from his younger years would follow him. In 1909 and 1910, he was paid to play minor-league baseball in North Carolina. This violated the strict amateur rules governing Olympic competition at the time. Other college athletes also played paid baseball, sometimes using assumed names to protect their amateur status, but Thorpe played under his own name. When the payments became public in 1913, athletic officials revoked his amateur status and stripped him of his Olympic titles and medals.
People have criticized how officials handled Thorpe’s case for decades. His treatment also occurred during an era of widespread discrimination against Native Americans, something that cannot be separated from the historical context of his life. We can say with certainty that Thorpe was penalized for violating the amateurism rules of his day, though the Olympic board violated its own rules by stripping him long after its established regulatory timelines. Thankfully, in 1983, the International Olympic Committee restored his status as an Olympic champion, initially recognizing him alongside the athletes who had been elevated after his disqualification. Then, in 2022—110 years after his victories—Olympic records were amended to recognize Jim Thorpe as the sole gold medalist in both the pentathlon and decathlon.
This isn’t an article about Jim Thorpe. However, his story gives us a powerful picture of perseverance. He experienced grief, hardship, disappointment, and injustice, yet he kept moving forward. His medals were taken from him during his lifetime, but no committee could erase what he had actually accomplished.
As Christians, we can never give up doing what God has called us to do. Jesus gave His followers a mission. In Matthew 5:14, He said, “Ye are the light of the world.” He taught us to live so that others see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. Scripture also makes clear that following Christ does not guarantee an easy life. Jesus warned His disciples that trouble, opposition, and persecution would come.
Like Jim Thorpe, we have no place to quit. We must persevere because the stakes are greater than medals, records, applause, or recognition. We are called to point people toward Christ. We may never know how one act of kindness, one word of truth, one prayer, or one faithful example can affect another person or an entire family.
We cannot let discouragement, discrimination, or even a lack of visible results deter us from our mission. Instant gratification and comfort sometimes have to be sacrificed for the good of others. Rather than measuring everything by what we can see today, we must trust God with results we may not understand for years, or perhaps not until eternity.
As soldiers of the cross, we also need to remember that we cannot fight spiritual battles in our own strength. The enemy works to distract, deceive, tempt, and discourage. Our responsibility is to remain faithful and to live in such a way that people can see Christ at work in us. When they see genuine peace in hardship, joy deeper than circumstances, love that expects nothing in return, and forgiveness that reflects the cross, they see evidence of what Christ can do in a surrendered life.
Satan will do everything he can to turn our attention away from our mission. Just as he deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden, he still whispers that obedience to God means missing out on something better. But Jesus taught us not to live consumed by worry over our needs. In Matthew 6:33, He said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Philippians 4:19 reminds us, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
When people see the peace, joy, love, mercy, and compassion of Christ reflected in our lives, we have an opportunity to tell them where that hope comes from. We cannot save anyone. Salvation belongs to God. But we can faithfully point people to Jesus and share the good news of His grace.
Wars are won through battles fought one at a time. In the same way, our responsibility is not to become obsessed with reaching “the masses” while overlooking the person standing in front of us. We serve one person, encourage one hurting heart, speak truth to one searching soul, and remain faithful one day at a time.
Dedication. Discipline. Perseverance. Love for God. A desire to live in a way that pleases Him. These are not qualities we manufacture by sheer willpower; they grow as we depend upon the Lord, obey His Word, and keep going when quitting would be easier. Through Christ, we can face tribulation with courage because He has already declared the final truth: “I have overcome the world.” That is HOW TO CONQUER THE WORLD.
Prayer—Lord, help me realize that I do not have a natural ability to live the Christian life in my own strength. By Your grace and mercy, help me walk in a way that pleases You. When people who need hope and salvation look at my life, let them see not me, but Your love through my actions, attitude, words, and compassion for others. Help me lift up Jesus so that others may be drawn to Him (John 12:32). Give me the dedication, discipline, and perseverance to remain faithful when life is difficult. Amen.
YOUR TURN
1. Have you recognized your need for Christ and trusted Him as Savior, turning to Him in repentance and faith? No one else can make that decision for you.
2. If you are a Christian, what changes can you make so others see Jesus more clearly in your life? Do your actions, attitude, and compassion reflect a God who remains faithful through every trial?
3. Do dedication, discipline, perseverance, and love for the Lord characterize your walk with Christ? Do you desire to please Him not only when life is easy, but also when the road becomes difficult?
4. Where have you been tempted to “coast” spiritually? What is one specific step you can take this week to follow Christ with greater faithfulness and purpose?
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