In confessing, not bragging, I’m pretty good at rationalizing what I do. I enjoy some of the more simple computer games: Solitaire, Minesweeper, Sudoku. They give my mind a break or are easy to do when I’m tired…OK, you see what I mean. But a recent Solitaire game gave me a spiritual lesson that might benefit you (see, another rationalization!). The game seemed at an end with no moves left. But I noticed the last card on the deck could be played, IF I sacrificed by bringing down one of the already played card that count for $5 each.
That ended up with four counting cards dropping down—a lost of $20. But I played one deck card and another, but to play a third I had to bring down another. That opened up the game and I won $260. Not a bad payday for risking $25! Even if it was just play money.
And therein lies the lesson. Sometimes we must sacrifice for the opportunity to get ahead. That is especially true in knowing God. Jesus’ statement scares me, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” Matthew 16:25). The only way to know Jesus is to lose our life. Yeah, quite a bit more that the imaginary $25 I risked at Solitaire. We give up our right to direct our lives. We give up our right to choose our values. And that is the essence of following Jesus.
I made that decision back in February of 1971. And frankly, it has come with a cost. But (and the main point always follows the “but”), that risk of giving my life has led to a thrilling ride that far exceeded my own dreams.
That same principle applies to life overall. Paul gives a command in Ephesians 5:18, then gives five participles on how to do that, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God” (Ephesians 5:18-21).
Or, we fill our lives with the Spirit through an awareness of God--by speaking and singing and making melody in our hearts and giving thanks and submitting to one another. He goes on to detail how we submit in various arenas: as wives (5:22-24, husbands (5:25-31), children (6:1-3), parents (6:4), workers (6:5-8), and employers (6:9). Get the idea that submitting is important? Very simply, it means we give up our desires and preferences and rights so we can treat others as we’d like to be treated. Or, once more, minus equals plus.
Yes, we all struggle with this, and likely me more than most. But I’m aware and working on it. Wouldn’t it be sweet if we all did more of this?
Kick Starting the Application
Check yourself out a bit here, please. Do you tend to bull ahead to get your way, or are you willing to lose some of your desires to get closer to God and to others? What specific areas are you best or worst in? What one thing can you do this week to intentionally lose more effectively?