And the winner is.....

Way back when I was but a kid, surprisingly one of our families Friday evening thrills was watching the Friday Night Fights on our very small screen black and white TV.  There were no color TV's yet (yes, that was forever ago....don't remind me.).  The most famous utterances from the ring announcer were:

1. when he introduced each boxer prior to the fight he would say "And in this corner......"
2. at the end of the match he would roll out (to lengthen anticipation perhaps) "and the winner is...."

In boxing, just as in most sports, there is going to be a winner, and there will be a loser(s).  Las Vegas has made tons of dollars over the years simply because of peoples fascination with winners and losers.  Betting (both legally and illegally) is an enormous industry, one that is designed to separate money from the folks who wish to bet.

In our everyday non-betting lives, there is one thing you can bet on.  In arguments, or disagreements the only good outcome is a win-win ending.  A win-win ending may mean that the parties agree to disagree with no harbored ill feelings.  Or it may mean that through intelligent, reasonable, and peaceful dialog a resolution was reached whereby both parties are happy with the outcome.  One outcome that should not be acceptable to anyone who is following Christ is one whereby one or both of the parties feels anger or resentment toward the other party.

As we live toward our prize which is Heaven, we cannot have it both ways.  We cannot be loving and be argumentative.  We cannot claim the true colors of a Christ follower and always have to win.  To not win, to a follower of Christ, is to win, for in taking the need to win out of the equation one can then fully be the example of the Christ follower that he deigns to be.  And living that kind of example is what we are called to do. 

And the winner is........not the winner, but the example.