Have you ever seen the movie Chariots of Fire? If you have, you know the story of Eric Liddell and the 1924 Olympics. He was the fastest 100-meter runner in Britain; but when he found out that his race was to be held on the Lord’s Day, he refused to run. He switched instead to the 400-meter race, and he surprised the world by sprinting the whole way and setting a world record!

What happened to Eric after that great day? He took a long boat trip to China, the country where he had been born. There, in a mission high school for Chinese pupils, lie taught science and English and coached running and other games. A man who lived with him then said, “Eric was the most Christlike man I know.”

He WaS ordained as a minister in 1932, and soon afterward married a missionary’s daughter. They were very happy when two little girls were born to them. But Eric was soon asked to leave his comfortable job at the school and go into the Chinese countryside, walking or bicycling to many villages to pastor Christians there. There was a lot of trouble in the area where he worked, because there was famine, sickness, and fighting among several Chinese armies and the Japanese. Many people became Christians through his preaching, and his bright smile and practical help brought comfort in Christ’s name.

It became dangerous for foreigners to stay in China, so Eric sent his family to Canada in 1941. A few months later, a telegram told him that his third daughter had been born! But he never got to see her, because soon he and the other foreign people in his city were put into a big camp by the Japanese army. Everyone in the camp had to work hard to keep things running smoothly. As Christ’s servant, Eric worked all day long helping others to be comfortable. He especially took time to make sure the children could enjoy field hockey and other games. He had to rip up his own sheets to mend the hockey sticks over and over again! Although the members of the camp became gradually weaker from not getting quite enough food, God gave Eric the strength to get up early each morning to worship Him and plan his day.

In January 1945, Eric began to have very painful headaches and sometimes had trouble speaking and walking. A month later, he died from a tumor that had been growing in his brain. His last words were, “It’s complete surrender.” Do you know what he meant? Ask a grownup to help you understand. What does it mean to follow Christ?