When Losing Isn't...

The Purpose of the Shepherd's Path, my monthly column is to let you in on a little secret: Ready...Pastors are people. Shocking I know. As a result we bring to our profession, or calling, as you may choose, the same struggles, hopes, joys, fears etc. as anyone else brings to theirs. The purpose of this column or Blog if you read it on the Web is to be a bit of an open journal into my own walk along the Shepherd's Path, that is, living day to day following Jesus our Good Shepherd.

As such I've been thinking about losing. Pittsburgh is the City of Champions. I learned this in Kindergarten in 1979 and my kids are learning it in 2009. Whether its the Stanley Cup, the SuperBowl or softball, we like to win and conversely hate to lose. Yet there are times when we do lose. We can lose big, like losing a job or a spouse or a significant relationship or we can lose smaller things like an argument or a debate, or our car keys.

But as much as we like to win there are times when losing isn't losing. You do not lose when you keep what is essential. I'll give you an example. There times in a pastor's life when debate is essential. Whether it is a proposal before presbytery or an unfortunate turn in a conversation about ones faith. I've lost quite a few debates in my life. The proposal I'm looking to see defeated passes, The person attacking my faith in Jesus and insisting on their own brand of religion as the one true church or pressing the case for no God at all outmaneuvers me and leaves me with no good response. Now an hour or a day later I might think of the perfect response but its too late I've lost. I knew the right answer but couldn't produce it when it counted. Yet really I didn't lose. Maybe I was embarrassed but I still hold my faith intact. All the opposition proved was they were more skilled in debate than I which is not difficult to prove. A bully might be able to clear the playground but that doesn't change the deed to the park. What is essential, my faith, remains.

You might lose an argument, again it doesn't prove you were wrong. Maybe you were missing a fact or two that could have proven your case or maybe you simply were ambushed and in your own way chose not to fight back with the same tactics as the other person. They are not right, just...louder. And you kept your integrity intact. Not returning evil for evil... sounds like advice from someone I know.

Losing a job or relationship can not be an ultimate loss if it does not diminish who you are. Finances might suffer in either case and you may miss the benefits of either but you my friend are much more than a position or a part of a couple. You are always a child of God and are always significant.

The fact remains if you lose you may grieve, you may feel sorrow, but do not let what is Rock Solid be shaken, those things you know to be true from the word of God: The truth that in Christ, you are God's own favorite (not like “better than another” but as in “favorite of the king”, recipient of favor and grace). Never let a loss be a total loss.

In Christ and on the Shepherd's Path,
Mark