Is Losing Ever Good?

Legendary Green Bay Packer Coach, Vince Lombardi, is credited for stating, "Winning isn't everything; It's the only thing!"  Personally, I can't stand losing!  All of my life I have been a competitive guy, but thankfully I have not lost my cool.  Good sportsmanship was always modeled for me and I always do strive to demonstrate good sportsmanship and team spirit.  I do my best to never let any situation control my actions, but instead allow my actions to compel the situation.  Winning requires dedication, sacrifice and discipline.  I have found that in athletics and life, winners are usually people of sacrifice.

In God's Kingdom, the ultimate victory has been won in Jesus Christ our Lord who died on the cross for our sin and rose from the grave to give us new life.  However, the daily battles continue to be fought.  Jesus surely knew this would be the case for all of His followers and that is why He proclaimed, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever, wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.  What good does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?" (Luke 9:21-25)

I remember one time as a child driving an hour to play in a soccer match only to find out that we did not have enough players.  We had to forfeit the game.  That was a real disappointment and waste of a day.    Can you imagine living a whole life thinking you have it all together, but finding out after the fact in God's judgement that you were on the wrong course (failing to believe in Jesus) and you must forfeit your soul?  What a tragedy!  Jesus teaches that if we want to save our lives we must first be willing to give up our lives to him.  To live we must first deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him!  Losing our lives in Christ leads to gain by Him in us.

According to the worlds standards, winning is everything, but according to God's standards losing is the only thing!  What are you willing to lose in order to win?