Wednesday, May 30, 2012

How to Lose Well


It comes as no shock to those who know me well that I am a Celtics fanatic.  I don’t talk about my love for basketball or the Celtics all that much, unless it is someone who has similar fanaticism.  Otherwise I find that a person will have an inadvertent eye-rolling reflex and will check out as I continue to jabber on and on about the many merits of the Boston Celtics.  At least now I can justify my fan-ship, since my oldest son is equally smitten, and it gives us something fun to do together. 

The Celtics somehow made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, despite being injury plagued, depleted, and just plain old.  They are matched up against the hottest team in the league, the Miami Heat, who also happen to have two of the best players in the NBA.  Naturally the Celtics lost game one in cosmic fashion.  Tonight is game 2.  As a fan, I am hoping for a Rocky 6 scenario.  You know, the kind when a 60 year old goes toe-to-toe with the champ and somehow holds his own.  Probably one out of a million chance.  (So you’re telling me there’s a chance.  Yeah!)

Understandably, the villainous superstar on the opposing team (I’m not biased at all!) seemed to gloat in the victory.  He grinned broadly and put his arm in his opponent’s face.  He sat on his high throne as the king of basketball.  He did, after all, play an incredible game.

But how should the loser respond?  How should you respond when you are beat down?  Humbled?  Or when things generally do not go your way?  Sulk?  Feel hurt?  Cry?  Quit?  These are all common responses. 

Or do you rise up?  Come out to try again?  Learn from your mistakes?  Grow out of adversity?  The Christ-Follower has the ability to reach deeper than his own soul, deep down to a resource that is greater than himself.  She has the power of God to draw from.  This is the power that says, “Not even death can defeat me!” 

I pray that whatever trial you may be going through in life, you will find His resource ample.  Draw from the well of God, and you will not be disappointed.