From the BBC Olympics coverage (scroll down to 2326):

Heard the one about how a chocolate bar cost someone a gold medal? Head over to the weightlifting where Poland’s Adrian Edward Zielinski emerged triumphant by virtue of just 130 grams in bodyweight in the men’s 85kg.

Zielinski and Russia’s Apti Aukhadov both lifted 385kg so gold was decided by the pre-event weigh-in, with Zielinski marginally lighter on the scales (84.62kg to 84.75kg).

Gold medal winner Zielinski replied: “I ate a whole breakfast, boiled eggs and a little bit of porridge, and then for lunch I just had a small portion of chicken.”

Replying to the same question, Aukhadov answered: “I started my morning with muesli, nuts – that was my breakfast. For lunch I ate a hot chicken broth, then I ate a small piece of fish and I had my tea with a chocolate bar, that’s it.”

My post last week about Little Things came to mind when I read this.  Little things build or destroy trust.  Little things build or tear down character traits which will carry you through the crises of life.  Little things can make all the difference between success and failure.

We must “take every thought captive.”  That includes the little thoughts.  Scripture tells us to do “all to the glory of God.”  That “all” includes the little things we do.  “In everything give thanks” — that includes little things, too.

The little things matter more than we usually think they do.  Sometimes, we get a reminder.  Maybe Auchadov needed the energy, but replace that chocolate bar with something with a little less sugar, and who wins?

Watch out for those spiritual “chocolate bars” that don’t help you win the prize.  If they aren’t helping, they are hindering.

Hebrews 12:1-2

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.