Winning

I went to the boys' and girls' championship games this past weekend. We may not have won the games, but I was won over by the mighty efforts of our GGCA athletes. I did not walk away from the games feeling disappointed, because I had seen young men and women give their all and that made me proud. I say it is no shame to give 110 percent and walk away without a first place trophy. Our guys and girls can hold their heads up and move on with their lives knowing that what happens on a soccer field or volleyball court does not define them as winners or losers. 

Sure, it's awesome to win and to feel the exhilarating rush of victory as fans cheer and your teammates celebrate. But I like to think that we don't play sports just to collect a banner or a trophy or to get people's admiration. I hope that we play sports for the same reason we do other things as Christians - to develop and use the gifts and talents God has blessed us with, to participate in an activity with fellow members of Christ's body, and to get to know God as we seek to glorify Him. We can do this in our classrooms, in a chapel service, evangelizing on the streets of Baltimore, playing in the band - or even in the five short minutes between classes when we take a moment to bless someone with a moment of edification.

Yeah, it would have been awesome to beat Redeemer in the championships. Very awesome. But we didn't. Still, I don't feel like we lost. We fought the good fight, we never quit, and revealed greater grace under pressure. Thanks for some great games, athletes! Best of luck in the state tournaments this week.