And that’s what the Games are meant to do. They bring countries together on a world stage to compete peacefully—even countries that are enemies put aside their arguments for two weeks as their athletes compete.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are trying to meet this vision, even if 2020 has become 2021. The vision is that the Games will allow us to broaden our understanding of other cultures—the customs, traditions and beauty of each country is on full display through the participating athletes.

But of course, there are realities that don’t go away during the games. Countries at war don’t necessarily have a cease-fire; human rights abuses don’t disappear; and for Christians in many of the countries participating in the games , religious persecution doesn’t end.