Nothing To Lose
CONSECRATED No. 68 - 1 Thought. 2 Quotes. 3 Verses.
1 THOUGHT
“Do you remember what I said when we got into this game? I said we were going to play it like we had nothing to lose.” - Danny Ocean (Ocean’s 11)
Growing up, I loved watching sports with my dad and my grandpa. Football and basketball were our most frequent choices. When the three of us would watch, nothing would drive them both crazier then when it seemed like a team was playing “not to lose” rather than playing to win.
The team would get a lead near the end of the game and they would stop being aggressive. They would just start trying not to make mistakes. Trying to keep their lead instead of trying to score again. And, time and time again, the team playing “not to lose” would slowly lose their lead and end up defeated.
I often wonder how many of us are playing life “not to lose.”
Trying to raise kids that won’t walk away from God when they go to college instead of aiming to raise bold proclaimers of the Gospel.
Trying to keep from sinning rather than actively trying to advance the kingdom of God.
Trying to maintain our reputations of success rather than risking for the glory of God.
Early in our walks with Christ—and in life as a whole—it’s easy to live like there’s nothing to lose. Because, at that stage, there isn’t much to lose.
This is true especially in ministry. Time goes on, God gives us some level of influence or success and, suddenly, we’re afraid of losing it. And we start running our race “not to lose” instead of running to win.
So what’s the antidote?
I think the antidote to this problem—and to many others—is to live with a burning, supreme desire for treasure in heaven.
When we’re more concerned with “well done” from heaven rather than “well done” from men, we will keep risking our reputations and appearances of success because God sees our hearts—and He measures success differently.
When we’re more concerned with treasure in heaven than our salaries, we’ll take godly risk—undaunted—because God is our provider.
When we’re more concerned with obedience than our success, we will measure “success” by our obedience.
So, are you playing not to lose? If you are, may I exhort you with these words from the Apostle Paul, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” (1 Corinthians 9:24).
2 QUOTES
“Those who have been greatest for God did not aspire to greatness, but to obedience.”
- Dr. David Shibley
“Men and women who are used of God, if I had only a few words to describe them: they are the passionately weak and the violently desperate.”
- Paul Washer
3 VERSES
“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!”
1 Corinthians 9:24
“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”
Jude 1:24-25
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:9
A RESOURCE
A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards was a book I’d heard of for many years, but that I just recently got around to reading. It’s profound and beautiful. It’s a short read (only about an hour or two to listen to if your prefer audiobooks). The book is about spiritual authority and how to keep you heart like David’s rather that of king Saul or David’s son, Absalom. I’d highly recommend it.
