I have a grandson who is now 13. He hates losing. He has been that way ever since I can remember. He gets emotional, i.e. angry and (used to) cry when he didn’t do well or the team lost. He was probably around 8 maybe when we went to see the Pirates (my team) play the Reds (his team) at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The game had see-sawed. It looked good for the Pirates until the Reds rallied to tie it late in the game. It was the bottom of the 9th with one or two outs (I can’t remember) when my favorite player came up and hit a game-winning Home Run. He was sitting on my lap so he could see better and immediately dropped his head into my lap. About a minute or so later-after I celebrated by yelling and clapping and the fireworks went off-I noticed his head was still there. So I lifted his head and he was crying! When I asked him why he was crying he said, “Because they lost and you should never lose or accept losing.” When I tucked him into bed that night at the hotel, I asked him why he said what he did. Who told him that? He told me and I was both sad and angry. I lovingly told him that it was good to win and to want to win, but sometimes losing is part of the game and life. You accept it. Learn from it. And move on. Yeah, I know, maybe a lot for an 8 year old. But he got it!
It astounds me that people would give us so easily and want to follow a loser. A defeated foe. A supposed victory of death by crucifixion was changed three short days later by a victory. He thought he had won. He looked like he won, but that late inning resurrection snatched victory out of his hand and rendered him a big one in the “L” column.
Satan is defeated and will never recover. Follow Jesus. Don’t follow a defeated enemy. Jesus won!
A life changing moment, no doubt, for an 8 year old boy. He will likely remember that conversation for the rest of his life…
And you are right on the second count as well… Satan is defeated, why follow a loser.
I hope so Ryan. Whether he remembers that night or not I don’t know.
Amen! What a great grandpa you are, Bill! You are building wonderful memories for him as well as invaluable teaching moments.
I’d like to agree with you Diane. Especially now but being 4 hours away limits my exposure and time with him.
You taught your grandson an invaluable lesson, Bill. I remember when Virginia was young and first learning board games. How she hated to lose, and would sometimes try to “fudge” on the rules of the game so she wouldn’t. I’d always point out to her that cheating is a lot worse than losing, and she finally got the message.
And yes, we always have victory, no matter how many losses we endure, when we follow Jesus.
Blessings!
Hmmm the fire of not losing burns in both of them. Fortunately, Braden works harder which forces him to try to excel.
Indeed, Christ’s resurrection was a victory for us all.
Thanx Bill. God bless.
I’ll take that victory Victor!
That’s a hard lesson for a child to learn, but learn it they must. Otherwise, life will be one disappointment after another. So glad that our victory in Christ is full and permanent!
I’d like to agree with you Lisa. I not only see it as a hard lesson for a child to learn but also an adult. And yes, I’m glad our victory is complete.
That’s too bad. Hope your grandson has learned and is learning. I was one of those people, without being directed to be, who hated to lose. I threw bats, gloves, football helmets. And whippings couldn’t change me.
Time and God’s wisdom changed me; winning and being a winner isn’t about a small period of time or a game. Winning is measured across a lifetime. And as long as we play life, and everything in it, with honor and perseverance, we win. That only happens knowing the God and Son that sacrificed for us. We win because He won…
he is doing much better. his parents did tell him to get control of his emotions so that has helped. Hopefully he will get wiser as he gets older. And that sentence? It is a winner.
Something about the early morning resurrection.. before the maidens even got to the grave (referencing The Passion movie) that really awes me!
Glory to God! What news! Especially in these times!
We can all use Good news Ed.
God, I love this thought that satan is a loser…from the start as soon as he thought he wanted to be God, even while it was just a seed of thought in his mind, he was a loser. I can’t believe I followed him for 35 years, what kept me from accepting Christ, same thing satan had working in him, pride. Good message Bill.
It is hard to imagine any of us, no matter how many years, served a false master. The important thing is that you no longer do. Thanks Betty