What is a Winner?
For Father’s Day 2022, my daughter Hannah subscribed to Storyworth. Each week, I am asked a question that will be assembled into a book she can share with her children.
The first question is, “Have you ever won anything?” I could just answer, “YES” and maybe even describe the event or competition and that would be enough. The question, however, invokes in me an opportunity to share more than just that. It is an opportunity to share my thoughts on competition and what I believe about winning! Are you surprised that I would want to elaborate?
Quite frankly, winning wasn’t really the highest value in my family. We were taught to value team work, practice, perseverance, grit, show good sportsmanship and a lot of similar values. Competition was supposed to help hone our skills in accuracy and to create an atmosphere where giving your all to something mattered. Winning wasn’t the only thing! It mattered how you played the game!
Having stated that, I am fortunate enough to have played on a few winning teams. After several years of playing on our high school church softball team, we went from being the worst in our league to winning the league my senior year. We were the underdog team going into the tournament and had to win a double elimination tournament in order to it. Nothing is better than an underdog comeback.
Quite frankly, my most memorable wins have been as the underdog. As a freshman in college, I was in ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corp). Part of our training was a simulated hand to hand combat that was done with pugil sticks (picture a pole with boxing gloves at each end). Somehow, I made it to the final match. It would remind you of David and Goliath. I was David. Charlie was Goliath! I am every bit of 5’7” with shoes on and Charlie was at least 6’3” barefoot! Pugil stick competition has a points system that you win by making strategic hits against your opponent. During the competition I was doing my best to avoid embarrassment. As best I remember, Charlie charged and slipped and as I was avoiding him I accidentally hit him and scored the winning blow. To this day, I know that win was a fluke! Charlie went on to become a commissioned Army officer. When the draft ended, I dropped ROTC! Don’t let your wins go to your head! Don’t let your wins or losses define you. I did not pursue a career as Pugil Stick fighter, but it is still a sweet, ironic memory!
As much as I love being on a team, I discovered that I excelled at individual sports and activities. In my adult life I pursued outdoor activities like hiking, skiing and golf! These activities always presented personal challenges. Every hike I completed (especially those that were multiple days of backpacking) I was a winner when I completed the trip. Every golf game was an attempt to shoot my lowest score. Every day of skiing I couldn’t wait to get back out and see if I could ski that run faster or as I got older ski the bumps more gracefully and with better control. My greatest victories were competing against myself and setting new goals and working to achieve them. Along the way, I picked up a few trophies, but they really only remind me of the hard work and dedication that it takes to live and to be a productive and happy human being.
Some people ascribe to a philosophy of Win At All Cost! Not me, and I hope not you! Real winners know it is a bit of a fluke. There are a lot of great people who never took home a trophy, but they are winners. They played by the rules! They helped their team mates excel! They showed character when they lost and celebrated when others won! They were grateful for the chance to compete and for those who coached them! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want you to compete just for a participation trophy! Quite the contrary! I hope you will play the game with every ounce of who you are.
For quite some time I have known that I was a winner and I had very little to do with it. Being born into my family was a win, marrying into a great family, adopting your mother Hannah, having and living long enough to be your grandfather! Let me add that I have had a lot of great team mates and coaches and win or lose, just being in the game mattered and I am glad I played!
As a follower of Jesus there are some things I have learned that define my feelings about winning! Jesus stated, Mark 8:36 (NLT) And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? My loose interpretation of Jesus teaching is that it is easy to compare winning with fulfillment. Paul writes to encourage other followers, Philippians 3:14 NLT I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. He writes to a young protégé, 2 Timothy 4:7 NLT I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.
So maybe winning is everything. Just make sure you are in the right competitions. If you do that, you will always have the Victory!
Keep your eyes on Jesus and you will win the most important prize.