From an early age we learn, either through experience or observation, that winning feels great! You just have to watch the lead strikers, and their teammates, at the World Cup celebrating after scoring a goal. The elation is obvious. Winning is AMAZING! It’s hard to imagine anything that could spoil that high and so, therefore, it’s maybe understandable the lengths that some people will go to in order to be number 1!
Did anyone ever tell you:
“It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game”
In recent years this kind of thinking has been sneered at because let’s face it, no one really likes to lose. But we can become so fixated on winning that we don’t realise that the way we are running means that we risk forfeiting our prize.
Going for Gold
When I was a child I remember watching the Olympic Games and seeing a sprinter by the name of Ben Johnson catapult his way to the gold in the 100 metres. He was this powerhouse, an intimating force on the starting line and literally dominated from the moment the gunshot sounded. No one on the field came close. It was the perfect final. That is until it was discovered that Johnson had taken performance-enhancing substances. Disgraced and shamed, he was disqualified from the race, and his gold was given to another runner.
…what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? – Mark 8:36
Imagine getting to the end of your life, having finished your ‘race’, believing you’ve won the gold. Only instead you find out that the way in which you ran means that – yes people cheered for you and you stood on the podium to get the medal but – when all was said and done what you thought was your prize wasn’t actually something that you could keep. Wouldn’t it be better to know that the way you are living your life and running your race will guarantee you a prize that can’t be taken away?
The priceless prize
You may think that the prize you want in life is money, fame or power – these things certainly look great – but where is the value in these things if you don’t have peace and fulfilment and a sense of deep joy in your life?
Jesus said in the Bible that the reason He came to live as a man was so that we, all of us, could know what life was supposed to be like, a life of abundance and better than we could even imagine. The choice is ours. We can seek after Jesus and by living in a relationship with Him, find peace and nourishment for our souls and the promise of eternal life with God or we can run after the shiny, fleeting treasure this world has to offer but ultimately still find that we lack the things we really desire.
If you would like to know more about how you can have a relationship with Jesus, please click on the link. We would love to talk to you.