The British propensity for non-deference militates against special treatment to anyone, unless of course you're the official underdog. "The last shall be first" is a biblical theme which could just as easily have been written by a British attitudes and motivation committee. We really can't cope when it turns out that "the first shall be first."I suppose a healthy society wrestles with the tensions between hero worship and indifference. We take them seriously enough to pay small fortunes to see our heroes perform. And we take ourselves serious enough to make sure they remain accountable. It's like the biblical idea of the priesthood of all believers adapted for our social idiom. We're always OK with a few high priests as long as all of us are allowed to be priests. Honouring authority, respecting and praying for powerful leaders with the power of life and death was integral to a biblical response to the privileged. But so also was self-effacing humility. If you're attending a special event, said the apostle James, don't stroll up to the top table. Wait until you're invited. I live within a stone's throw from the Olympic site so I'll have to spend some effort in avoiding a fine. But even so I hope I can watch Usain Bolt being driven past me in the Olympic Lane and still cheer him on when he reaches the track.
英国人天生不愿服从的习性使任何人都很难享受特殊待遇，当然，除非你是公认的弱势群体。“排在最后的应优先考虑”这一引自圣经的主题可由英国人民对待事情态度和行为动机轻易的描写出来。当发现“排在首位的应优先考虑”时，我们实在是难以接受。我认为一个健康的社会应该努力解决个人崇拜和漠不关心的态度之间的紧张关系。我们足够重视运动员，花钱去看我们的英雄在场上的表现。而且我们也足够重视自己，去确保他们仍负有责任。这就像圣经传达的思想，所有信徒的神职必须适应我们社会的特色。只要人人都能成为神父，我们对有几位主教是没有异议的。崇尚权力，尊重掌握生杀大权的领导人并为他们祈祷是圣经讲述的如何对待有特权的人的基本要素。但这同样也是谦逊的表现。使徒雅各说，如果你出席一个特别的场合，不要闲庭信步地坐上首席。你必须等待他人的邀请。我家和奥运场地离得很近，因此我得费点周折去避免罚款。即使如此，我仍希望我可以在奥运通道上看到尤塞恩•博尔特坐着车从我身边经过，可以在他走上跑道时为他欢呼。
