Who doesn't like to win? We all do- right? If given the choice to either win or lose, I would say 99% of us would choose win, and the other 1% would be lying. No one likes to lose.
Its a common societal norm here in America, to want to win. We teach our kids at a very young age to attempt to win at sports, in school, at board games. Winning is an activity that we pride our selves on. We love to win.
Here's an interesting flip-side to the winning equation- someone has to lose. Either indirectly or directly, when we win, typically someone else loses. Because we know that- often we begin not by trying to win, but by ensuring that our opponent will lose. We know if we can avert their win before the competition, our chances to be victorious increase.
Take this chap from Philly- http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110301/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_crime_pizza he decided to insert mice into his rival pizza competitors shops to try and put them out of business.
Seriously?
I can picture it now- He and his fellow conspirators sitting around thinking about the next big move for the pizza shop. One person suggests extra cheese, one chimes in and says to offer bread sticks. "No way" The owner says. "we're going to infest their shops with mice".
Wow.
The truth is that many of us can identify with the mouse man. We too have wanted to win so bad we have thought of less than honorable ways to achieve the win. Either in sport or in pizza, we too may have thought of ways to ensure our victory at what ever cost.
This should not be so my brethren.
Winning is what it is. But when we want to win so bad we are willing to break established rules, we dishonor ourselves and God. The Bible talks some about sport indirectly with verses such as 1 Cor 9:24 "Do you not know that in a race all the runnersrun, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize".
Prizes are good. Winning is good, but winning at the expense of breaking the rules, or being dishonorable is truly not a win at all.
Reflect on that today. Push to win, but realize that those who consistently win are those who work harder, have more discipline and don't quit. Its rarely the people that for a way to go around or over. Like they old saying goes- winners never cheat and cheaters never win.
Win today. But do it the right way. You don't have to infest your opponent with mice to win.
Be blessed
pastor matt
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