Photo by Tatiana Rodriguez on Unsplash
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The idea of losing to win seems counter-intuitive. Usually winners the ones who amass the most … the most points, the most runs, the most tallies … the most toys (“He with the most toys, wins.”). However, that’s not always true. Take Dominoes. The winner in Dominoes … the game, not the “knock’em down and watch’em fall” activity … is the one who loses all their blocks. You have to lose to win.
Jesus reminds us there is an infinitely bigger victory to be had by losing, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39) Jesus defines “life” as that which drives one’s motivations. The “thing” people love the most, that is their life. The Son of God calls Himself, “the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) However, if one loves anyone more than Him – even family – they aren’t motivated by Him. Therefore, while one may seem to live well in the world, that won’t lead to the victory of eternal life. Only by putting the true God first, adhering to His will above all else, and losing one’s worldly motivations, can someone gain the gift of true life – eternal life. Losing the things of this world which distract us from devoting our lives to God above all brings eternal victory.
Jesus isn’t asking us to give up our literal lives. When He says, “Whoever does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of me,” (Matthew 10:38) He isn’t saying we must martyr ourselves on a cross. We need to give up things leading us away from the life only He can give. Even if that means losing the things the world calls “life” – prestige, fame, belonging, or position – at the expense of devotion to the life God calls us to live, in His Word, as His disciples. So, let us seek this life. Let us lose our devotion to life in this world … to gain the victory of life eternal.
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Jim