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The Devotional Diva - The Biggest Loser
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The Devotional Diva – The Biggest Loser
By Barbara Gobbs - Executive Assistant and Ministry Partner - Pocket Full of Change Ministries
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” Luke 9:24 (NAS95)
As you may or may not know, I am not a big football fan. Nevertheless, there was a time where I really enjoyed a college game, as long as Florida State University was playing. During our Panama City years, many of the kids we worked with in Bible Study, graduated and sought an adventure in education at FSU. Therefore, we got accustomed to and even grew to enjoy watching a game or two.
The games were a blast. However, we never could get tickets to the hottest game of all: FSU vs. Miami. In retrospect, I'm glad we didn't spend the money because we lost those games. Not only did we lose, we lost tragically. Perhaps you remember that several years in a row, FSU lost to Miami by one field goal in the last seconds of the game. The loss was great – at least it was for FSU fans.
No one really likes to lose. Since days of grade school kick ball, we compete to win. Be honest, winning is fun. We like to win the pizza party for selling the most books. Let’s make the best chili we can for the cook-off. Who can stay on the island the longest for the million-dollar prize? Losing can be embarrassing, disappointing, and frustrating.
Now I’ve never been much of a winner. I can lose in a drawing where there are 100 winners and only 101entries. In elementary school, I entered a newspaper contest and won a trip to Acapulco. It turned out to be a fraud. My dad got his name in the paper for turning them in and I got nothing. Loser.
In high school, I awaited the judge’s decision on who would be making the drill team. Was my name on the list? No. Loser again.
Okay, I know I am painting a pathetic picture here, but can anyone relate? Well, most of us learn early in life that winning is not everything; it’s how you play the game and all the other clichés used to make us feel better. Honestly, there is truth in those clichés and life goes on. Yet some people will go extremes to win and win big.
I can prove my point with the latest lottery sales figures. Not to mention the influx of reality shows promising big bucks if you can out last, outwit or pick the right case. With all this said, I’d like to bring your attention to a reality show where the losers are winners. Maybe you've heard of The Biggest Loser.
This broadcast highlights obese contestants pitted against one another to see who can lose the most weight on national television. Obviously, the one who loses the most weight wins. While, I am not a watcher of this show, I applaud people trying to improve their health for their selves and their families. In my book, that’s worth a million bucks. Even those that do not make it to the end – truly win if they’ve lost any weight at all.
Can I ask you if the concept of losing to win makes any impression on you? It should. Reread our scripture passage from Luke. It plainly states that to win our lives we must first lose them. In case the point is not clear about the point, let me clarify. We are to lose our lives to the Lord.
Now before you go and throw yourself in front of a semi-truck, that’s not what Christ means at all! At least, not unless you’re trying to push me out of the way. Okay, just think about it. What could you lose for Christ that would make you a winner? I could lose “the attitude” most days. Then I could lose some selfishness as well. When I stop and think about it that way, I can afford to lose a lot. When Christ tells us to lose our life our life in order to save it, in most cases, He is speaking figuratively.
What about you? What could you lose in order to save yourself for the cause of our Lord and Savior? Perhaps it might be pride or worry. Could we lose the sin that separates us from a full relationship with Jesus? What if we all just lost our “self” and abandoned our hearts to a holy God? I will bet that if we did, Christ would lovingly declare us, before all the realms of heaven, WINNER! Now that’s worth an amen or two!
While on earth, we will have winners and losers. Even the winners will come in first, second or third place. I can live with that and I’ll learn to live without always being in that category. However, in heaven – all the losers are winners and there is no second or third place. Everyone comes in first with Christ. That my beloveds, makes us winners for a lifetime and an eternity!
Your Biggest Loser Diva
Barbara,
Divinely Inspired Victoriously Active
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Barbara Gobbs is a ministry partner with and the Executive Assistant of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information, to schedule a speaker for an event, or to request a newsletter, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden, Publicist at 904 316-5462. This ministry is supported by donations. If this ministry helps you or others, and God calls you to help support this work, you can make a donation to Pocket Full of Change Ministry at POB 51205, Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32240.
© Pocket Full of Change Ministries
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