Don’t Be Content with Losing!

 ** This Sept. 22, 1927 file photo shows Jack Dempsey going down on one knee during his heavyweight title fight against Gene Tunney, in Chicago. www.imgarcade.com

www.imgarcade.com – 20s sports

Don, a retired friend of mine, was telling me about his father who boxed in taverns of Illinois in the 30s.  He said he wanted the money, so he would take a fight knowing he was going to lose.  The winner got paid $5 dollars and the loser $3.  He took the fight, covered his face, and figured he would lose.  But he knew $3 was plenty of money to take a girl on a date!

Put succinctly, he took a beating to get paid!

As I thought about this story, it reminds me of our lives.  We become content with losing.  We go into our challenges figuring we will lose, but we are satisfied with the outcome.  We are content with getting loser’s pay.  We are content with taking a beating.

For example:

  • Churches can be content with losing when it comes to their decline in attendance and ministry.  They blame it on people not loving the truth or the young people who moved away.  They are content with losing!
  • Preachers can be content with losing when we just do our “job” of preparing sermons, but aren’t willing to get out there and seek to do evangelism or minister to the hurting.
  • Marriages can be content with losing when they have decided they will never be close or have the marriage they desire.
  • Christians are content with losing when they have minimal involvement with the church and rarely read their Bibles, not trying to grow and develop in their faith.
  • Workers are content with losing when they do the minimal asked of them and bring no ambition or care to their workplace.

I know I can be content with losing at times.  The most important thing is trying to win!  It is about “pressing toward the goal.”  Striving for more, rather than being happy just taking our beating and getting paid $3.

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1 comment

  1. Inspirational! Thanks!

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