7 Ways the Winter Olympics Can Inspire Harmony among God’s People

1. See each other first as fellow humans, not rivals.

While the Olympic Games are very competitive, the athletes aren’t ruthless with each other. They often have a strong spirit of sportsmanship with each other, based on mutual respect. Even though they’re rivals in their respective sports competitions, what’s most important to many of them is their shared humanity.

After winning gold at the 2025 Skate Canada International, American figure skater Ilia Malinin spoke with reporters about what fans don’t always see behind the scenes: “I think it’s really important that people see that we’re all human beings and we get along together. It’s not just we’re out here fighting to the death to see who can place on top, but it’s a safe environment where all of us can support each other, help each other out.” Malinin made those comments while reflecting on the increasingly demanding nature of elite figure skating. Even as athletes push technical boundaries – as Malinin does, with his complex quadruple jumps that others haven’t landed before – he and many of the athletes focus first on supporting each other. That perspective echoes what Psalm 133:1 says: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”

We can start to live in greater harmony with each other when we remember that even though we sometimes compete with each other in our society, we’re all made (and loved equally) by our Creator and shared Heavenly Father. The Olympics can remind us that our shared humanity is important, so we should never make choices that dehumanize others. It can also remind us that God loves us all and wants us to love each other. One key way to do so is to do our best to live in harmony day by day. 

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2. Work as a team toward shared goals to serve God.

Few Olympic sports show the need for harmony more clearly than bobsledding. Success for bobsled teams depends entirely on timing, trust, and shared responsibility. One mistake affects everyone.

Elana Meyers Taylor, one of the most accomplished bobsled athletes in U.S. history, has often spoken about how her faith in Jesus helps her lead her bobsled team well. In interviews with NBC Olympics and Team USA media, she has emphasized the importance of basing her identity on what matters most: “My identity isn’t in my results. My identity is in Christ. That’s what allows me to compete freely and lead others the right way.” Meyers Taylor has explained that strong teams are built not on ego, but on service. She always tries to give God her best work, and she encourages her teammates to do the same. Part of that is working together to set goals as God leads them, and to help each other achieve those goals. When a team works toward shared goals (instead of just for personal recognition), they can develop harmony that helps them function well and succeed.

Milano Cortina 2026 will be the fifth Olympics for Meyers Taylor, who has already won multiple medals at previous Olympics. While her bobsled team works hard to serve God through their sport, they also work hard to serve each other at their practices and competitions. That loving spirit lines up with the advice the Bible gives in Colossians 3:14: “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” In both sport and faith, harmony grows when people commit to the greater good and work as a team toward shared goals. 

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3. Encourage one another regularly.

Some of the most powerful Olympic experiences happen away from the competitions and podiums, when athletes encourage one another as they work hard under immense pressure.

Erin Jackson, an Olympic champion speed skater, has spoken openly about how encouragement shaped her journey. In an interview with NBC Sports following World Cup competitions, she said, “I wouldn’t be here without the people who believed in me and encouraged me along the way. Sometimes you need someone else to see what’s possible for you before you see it yourself.” Jackson also shared in another NBC Sports interview how her faith in Jesus keeps her grounded amid success: “My faith keeps me grounded. It reminds me that skating is what I do – it’s not who I am.”

That kind of confidence that comes from faith can help us all overcome insecurity and inspire us to encourage one another regularly. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11, the Bible calls us to the same habit: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.” The more we encourage one another, the more we can build harmony among each other through our encouraging relationships.

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4. Find peace with each other by trusting God together.

Freestyle skiing is thrilling to watch, but it can be very challenging. Skiers often fall and get injured, which leads to uncertainty about whether they’ll be well enough to compete in various events. They need the peace that only comes from God to be resilient enough to succeed in their skiing careers.

Mogul skier Jaelin Kauf experienced that reality early in her career. In interviews with NBC Sports and U.S. Ski & Snowboard following her World Cup podium finishes, she reflected on how faith helped her go through seasons of doubt: “There were times when I didn’t know what the future would look like. My faith helped me trust that God had a plan, even when I couldn’t see it.” That trust changes how athletes relate to each other. When they place their trust in God instead of in their own athletic performance at their events, they can receive the peace God wants them to enjoy. Then, since they’re at peace, they don’t get caught up in comparison and worry. That all helps them develop greater harmony with each other.

In Colossians 3:15, the Bible reminds us: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.” When we have God’s peace within ourselves, we can enjoy more harmony with other people. 

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5. Communicate well while working on shared purposes.

Curling may seem like a simple Olympic sport, but it requires constant communication and trust among the athletes. The success or failure of every stone teammates throw depends on how well they work together to line it up.

American curlers Chris Plys and Korey Dropkin have emphasized this dynamic in interviews for profiles with NBC Olympics and the USA Curling National Championships. Plys once described the heart of curling this way: “It’s four people committing to the same plan and trusting it together, even when things don’t go perfectly.” That kind of commitment brings to mind the Bible’s guidance in Ephesians 4:3: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

It takes effort to build greater harmony in our relationships. We can ask the Holy Spirit to help us do so. As we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, we can discover and fulfill God’s purposes for us – which God has designed to work together in harmony with his purposes for the other people in our lives. 

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6. Respect differences and learn from them without letting them divide us.

The Olympic Games bring together athletes with different personalities, strengths, and perspectives.

Cross-country skier Jessie Diggins often points to that diversity as a strength, not a liability. In an interview with NBC Sports during the World Cup season, Diggins reflected on team culture: “We’re all really different people, and that’s actually our strength. We learn from each other, and we’re stronger because of it.” Diggins also spoke with NBC Sports about mental health, emphasizing the importance of empathy and compassion in a team environment and pointing out that mutual acceptance is important. That attitude reflects God’s call in Romans 15:7: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

We don’t have to agree with each other on everything to be able to enjoy harmony together. The Olympics show us that we can enjoy harmony in our relationships even when we disagree, by respecting our differences and pursuing lifelong learning by listening to each other's perspectives and learning from them. 

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7. Build stronger relationships through perseverance.

Olympic journeys can be full of challenges that athletes must try to overcome.

Freestyle skier Nick Goepper has spoken candidly about the challenges behind his success. In an interview with NBC Sports following his return to Olympic competition after a brief retirement, Goepper shared how faith reshaped his perspective: “I had to realize that my value doesn’t come from skiing. My worth comes from God, and once I understood that, everything changed.” He has also noted how suffering taught him empathy: “When you’ve been through hard things, you learn to show up differently for people. You don’t judge as fast. You listen more.”

Galatians 6:9 encourages us: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” When we build perseverance with other believers – such as by persevering in prayer for each other – we can strengthen the harmony between us, and that will lead to a harvest of good results for all of us. 

In conclusion, the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics aims to show us what harmony among diverse people looks like in action. It can inspire us to build more harmonious relationships with other people who are part of God’s family with us. We can each help answer Jesus’ prayer that his followers would be one, so the world would see what God’s love in action looks like. As we watch athletes support one another as they rely on their faith and pursue their goals, we can be inspired to live in greater harmony with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can all do our part to become a living answer to Jesus’ prayer!

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