Thursday, May 20, 2010

May 20, 2010

"David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent." I Samuel 17:54
Winning is not easy. Winning is not natural. For winning to happen there must be a plan and a purpose and a price to be paid and there must be persistence. There are good reasons why some people win and why some people lose.
There was a reason why David won and Goliath lost. Those reasons are significant and make ALL the difference. Winners understand the differences and buy into the reasons. Losers don't. Winners do the hard things and pay the short-term price to gain the long-term victory. Losers don't.
My granddaughter, Zoey, played soccer in a recreation league that is so typical of our "loser" mentality that infests our culture today. In this league they didn't keep score and they gave trophies to everyone. Essentially, they were teaching the kids that there is no difference between winning and losing. NOT TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER YOU DON'T!
I called her after her first game and I asked her, "Zoey, how did your game go?" She said, "We won!" I asked, "What was the score?" She knew! I told her, "Zoey, you are a winner! Winners keep score! Don't let anyone make you think like a loser!"
We do our kids and ourselves a great disservice if we don't distinguish between winning and losing.
Not only do winners do thing differently BEFORE they win, they also know how to celebrate and preserve their victory. Victors use one victory to prepare for the next.
You need to understand that to appreciate what David did with the head of Goliath and with his armor. What David was doing was preserving the memory of one great victory in order to assure that there would be more of them.
As the story spread through the ancient world about this amazing victory over the great Champion, Goliath, there would be many who would find it hard to believe. There would be a demand for evidence. David was making sure that evidence would be readily available.
The ancient world was a world ruled by violence and the aggressive use of force. Only the strong survived and remained free. Having the head of a mighty giant posted at the gate of your camp or your city sent a clear message to the next potential invader.
When the New Orlean Saints won the Super Bowl they were awarded the Lombardi Trophy. That trophy will serve as a permanent reminded of their victory. Trophies are important.
Goliath's armor served as a trophy for David to remind him of his victory or the giant. Just as his victory over a lion and his victory over a bear gave his confidence against the giant, the armor of the giant would encourage him the next time he faced a formidable foe. It was evidence that a winner intended to keep winning. Every morning when he awoke he could gaze across the room and see the armor hanging there. Every night before he turned off the lights, the last thing he would see is the armor of the giant. So, his first thought in the morning was victory and his last thought at night was victory. No wander he was a winner!
The simple little story of David and Goliath has so many profound truths. There are reasons why it has endured for so many centuries and will remain poignant and powerful forever. It is a lesson on how to win and how to use the victory to prepare for the next one.
Do the hard work to be a winner. Stand for truth and righteousness. Defend the faith. Live out the courage of your convictions. Know your pupose. Live in passion. Have a plan. Keep your perspective. Pray. And when God gives you the victory, grab a trophy! Start a winning streak! God's people go from victory to victory!