Winning in Life

On Sunday, the Eagles from Philadelphia will knock heads with the Patriots from New England.  Both teams will endeavor to claim the Vince Lombardi Trophy.  Lest their coaches (Doug Pederson and Bill Belichick) bench them, the players will commit to play their best for the Big Game.  When they do, one team will win and one will lose - guaranteed.  Note that.  While all players who take the field will give it their all, only half of them will bring home the trophy.  We don't actually, after all, live in an everyone-gets-a-trophy world, even though it might appear as such.

That's life!

Those who decide to live the Ordinary Life decide to give it their best and to embrace the fact that sometimes their best will fail to claim the trophies of life.  Yet, catch this, they won't fail.  Failure is not in the losing; it's in not giving one's best. 

One of my favorite passages to read in God's word is Matthew 25:14-30.  I greatly enjoy verses 21 and 23.  Two of the three servants receive the same verbal blessing.

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’"
Matthew 25:21 (NIV)

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’"
Matthew 25:23 (NIV)

Those identical blessings are found in Jesus' parable called at times "The Parable of the Talents" and at other times "The Parable of the Bags of Gold."  In the parable, the Master represents Jesus and the servants represent followers of Christ. 

As a follower of Christ, I look forward to hearing those very words of verbal blessing.  I believe that I will - as long as I give God my best. 
● I don't have to win.  God does not expect my perfection - Jesus takes care of that. 
● I am not required to outdo my neighbor - I must love him.
● I don't need to keep score (a tally of my accomplishments and losses) - God already knows those stats.

◾ More Ls than Ws?  Fear not.
◾ Fewer As than Bs?  Not that big of a deal.  That is . . . if you gave it your all.

Those who choose to follow Jesus strive to win the prize.  (See 1 Corinthians 9:24.)  Christians run that race.  Do you know what awaits at the finish line?

I believe that Jesus stands at the line and says to each who has served Him with their best - "Well done, good and faithful servant."

#ordinarylives