Daily Worship

How to win and lose well

July 26, 2014 0 0

Philippians 2:1-4

Imitating Christ’s Humility

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Lord God,  I love to win, love to watch winners.
I've never felt I won enough, never felt the teams I watch win enough. 
But as a follower of Jesus, as a Christian,
I know that I need to resist accepting a mentality that equates “losing” with being a “Loser,”
that punishes all who fall short of gaining the temporary and fleeting prize called “winner”.
Help me thou God of humility to strive to be at the top
without making that my only pursuit along the way.
Help me to revisit character and discipline as legitimate categories of success.
Help me to learn how to win and lose well without ever accepting either as being what defines me.
Remind me why we play games in the first place.
And let community and love, rather than insecurity and one-upmanship,
rule in the centre of who I am, as they perfectly rule in You,
Holy God, Father, Son and Spirit. Amen

 

Rev. Steve Jones, Chaplaincy Support Director for Welsh Sport with Sports Chaplaincy UK