How To Be A Sure Winner
“If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall save it.” Mark 8:34,35
Everyone wants to be a winner. Watch the hopeful faces as people receive their Publisher’s Clearing House letters in the mail! It’s reported that one man won a trip to Mexico. The story has it that he is still down there, waiting to win a trip back home!
We all want to be winners. The winner of a happy, fulfilling life. The winner of a loving matter. A winner at business or in our work. A winner of enough of the world’s goods that we don’t have to worry. Others say they always feel like losers. “I can’t win for losing. One step forward, two steps back is all I ever do.” Remember Pigpen in Charlie Brown? He’s the one with the little black cloud hanging over his head.
Jesus tells us how to be sure winners. “Whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” In short, we win by losing. This isn’t really that unusual or unnatural. It happens in many areas of life. It takes long years of schooling, “losing” out on all the fun times enjoyed by others before doctors or lawyers can begin “winning” in their professions.
Musicians must practice long and hard, “losing” much time to do other things in order to come forth as an accomplished artist.
Those in sports must sacrifice much in time and energy before they can ever be winners on the field of play. Even in the secular world there is a cost to gain anything of value.
It is certainly true in the spiritual realm. It is true in terms of finding real fulfillment to life. If one invests in Christ and His kingdom, they will win in this life and the life to come. Real life comes when we count everything as secondary to serving God.
A little boy went to a new Sunday school class. When he came home, his mother asked him what his teacher’s name was. he said he didn’t remember, but it was Jesus’ grandma. “Jesus’ grandma!” his mother exclaimed. “What makes you think your teacher was Jesus’ grandma?” “Well,” he replied, “all she did the whole time was talk about Him and show us His pictures.” Wouldn’t it be great to be so sold out to Christ that people thought we had to be kin to him in some way, the way we keep bragging on him? One man said the secret to being a successful Christian was just to love people and brag on Jesus.
He may be right!