Good morning, Church Family and Friends,
Motivational speakers will often admonish us not to run with the pack but to be winners. We’re told no one remembers who built the second airplane, the second person to fly the Atlantic solo, or the second one to find the North Pole. Culture admires winners. Those who run in second place are forgotten. Not all of us, however, can win all the races, and always trying to do so can often risk our physical and emotional health. Also, sometimes the real winners come in second.
Two thousand years ago, there was a brilliant orator by the name of Apollos. Having an abundance of native ability, his speech charmed the towns and cities he visited. Traveling the same circuit with Apollos was a man named Paul. In many ways, Paul was far less gifted than Apollos. Many historians believe Paul had failing eyesight, and he was unsightly in appearance. When Apollos came to town, Paul always took second place.
History, however, has balanced the scales, and afforded Paul the vast credit he is due. In their lifetimes, Apollos may have been the winner. But the apostle Paul has achieved immortality because he came farther, struggled harder, and ran longer to get where he did.
The trouble with our idea of success is that we measure where people are and not how far they have come. Someone has said that there may only be one question asked of us on Judgment Day: “What did you do with what you had?” We don’t all live under the same circumstances. Some of us have greater opportunities and greater resources. Someday, we may meet a lot of people in heaven who came in second — not because of their achievements but because of the struggle they endured and their lives of devotion to God.
Spending life worrying about being a winner is a sure way to be miserable. Every champion finally loses his or her championship. There was once an old warrior thought by his people to be the champion. But one day the soldier fell and a new champion ascended to the throne. Their story was written in a single sentence: “Saul slew his thousands, but David his tens of thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7). If there is any serenity to be found in life, it always happens this way. The only way to be a lasting winner is to play against yourself. If you can look in the mirror and be at peace, not much else matters. If you have done what you could, you will find a peace which the world cannot give or take away.
Always measure where you are against where you have been,
Bruce Jones, Pastor
Imagine Church
