Since you are a sanctified person, I am sure you never even think about calling someone a “loser.” The Online Dictionary defines loser as “a failure, dud, flop, washout." But speaking as a psychologist, I believe it connotes someone caught up in self-defeating behaviors. Given that, who of us has not felt like a “loser” at times?
One time, a rich young man came to Jesus saying “I have kept the law; is there anything I lack in order to have eternal life?” He was anything but a loser; he was a ‘gainer’—in effect, saying, I have made a lot of gains in righteousness. Is it enough? Am I lacking anything? (Mark 10:20-21)
Jesus’ response must have surprised him. Jesus explains that in God’s economy, gains are losses and losses are gains, saying, ‘you must lose everything you own.’ The young man went away sad because he was rich—his identity was tied to his gains. He could not bring himself to be a “loser.” Jesus has called all His disciples to lose: dare we say to be “losers?”—But NOT defined as those with self-destructive behaviors, but those who willingly lose everything if it means gaining Him.
Paul said “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus…for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ” (Phil. 3:8 NIV).
No comments:
Post a Comment