Losers

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. – Psalm 23 (ESV)

Are you a winner or a loser?

It’s a simple question, but kind of weird to ask when you think about it. Winning and losing are normal parts of life that everyone will experience. From board games to foot races, from arguments to contests, you have been both victorious and vanquished many times over the course of your life.

So, what do I mean when I ask if you are a winner or a loser?

Often, there are circumstances that help determine if we will win or lose. A bodybuilder will have success in a weightlifting competition, but he will likely not fare so well in a hundred-meter dash. A professor with multiple PhD’s will enter a debate feeling confident about her intellect, but she would be embarrassed by her ignorance in discussing the latest fads in popular culture. Our life experiences help determine our chances of success in any venture, and the confidence we have in our ability will guide us toward attainable goals and away from humiliating failures.

But while all of these ideas make perfect sense, none of this brings us any closer to the answer of my question. Maybe a slight change in the wording of the question will help.

Do you consider yourself a winner or a loser?

That’s an entirely different question that has less to do with the outcomes of a competition and more to do with how we view ourselves. We win. We lose. But rarely does any one contest define us as a winner or a loser. Famous athletes who have won multiple championships at the highest levels are often lauded as winners. But how can you look at any team that lost a championship game and not recognize the wins that it took to get to that championship? Take the team that has never come close to a championship, but instead manages to underachieve year after year. They’re still filled with elite athletes whose accomplishments far surpass those of the rest of the planet. Beyond natural ability and the extreme work ethic they have developed, most “winners” have a common skill that sets them apart from the rest of us. They have learned how to manage loss. They don’t like it, but they don’t fear it. They strive to avoid them, but when losses happen, they learn from them, converting what they have learned and felt into a fuel that will drive them back to the top.

Conversely, there are others who meet adversity and crumble. They see their shortcomings and resign themselves to defeat without much of a fight. Some begin to make excuses for why they fell short of the goal, or affix blame on others who they think are responsible for the loss. Finally, there are some who have created an expectation of losing for themselves. They’ve given up. Life has beaten them down enough where they choose to avoid the challenges of life and simply accept the role of the loser. Strangely enough, there is a level of comfort in considering yourself a loser. Expectations are lower, outcomes are more predictable, and disappointment is less hurtful when it has become the norm. It’s a sad existence, but for many who find themselves there, it fits like a comfortable old sweater.

Of course, this is not what any of us would want for our loved ones, nor is it what God wants of us as well. We were created with a higher value and a greater purpose. Nothing else in all of creation can claim to be made in the image of God Himself. Only mankind. The Father’s original plan is on display in Genesis where we see how much He loved and cared for Adam and Eve. Then sin entered the equation, and once it did, consider how Adam and Eve responded. They hid in shame. Ashamed of their nakedness but also ashamed of what they had done. They tried to hide from God, then they tried to hide from their responsibility in what happened by blaming others. The fall happened in an instant and immediately, a loser’s mentality was unleashed upon mankind.

Then something really cool happened. God found His fallen creation and brought to light their sin. This changed a great many things, but one thing did not change. The Father’s original plan remained on display, and we continued to see how much God loved and cared for mankind. Yes, we had lost our ability to be in a right relationship with God, but we were far from lost. In that moment, God put into motion a covenant with man that His Son, Jesus Christ, would compete on our behalf and give to us the prize He earned over sin and death. We no longer need to hide in the shadows, ashamed of the many losses we have suffered in our sinfulness. Instead, Christ has given us the opportunity to stand atop the podium, crowned with His victory and reunited with God for eternity.

You are not a loser. You are not lost. You have been found, claimed, restored, and one day, you will be called home in celebration. Until that day, hold you head high, knowing that no matter what you face, you will never face it alone, but with the Holy Spirit at your side to guide and protect you. The victory has been won!

Go tell the others.

Devotion by Richard Schumacher

Senior Director of Operations