Value In Losing

[Guest guest]

Value In Losing

 

 

"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of

God like a little child will never it." And he took the children in his arms,

put his hands on them and blessed them.

 

When my son Sean was twelve, he played on a Little League baseball

team. A week before the season started, I got an idea about how to show him--

-and his teammates---acceptance. I bought twelve coupons good for ice

cream sundaes at a local restaurant, and took them to his coach.

 

"Coach, these are for the kids," I said. "Good," the coach said with

a big smile. "This is great. I wish more dads took an interest like this.

I'll take them for sundaes after our first win."

 

"No, Coach," I said quickly. "I want you to take them for sundaes

after their first loss."

 

Sean's coach looked at me strangely. What I was saying wasn't

computing with his concept of winning, losing, and rewards for good play.

 

This is what I shared with him:

 

"Coach, I don't know about you, but as I raise my kids I don't want

to acknowledge their efforts as much as their being created in the

image of God. I believe my son is created in the image of God and that he has

infinite value, dignity, and worth which all have nothing to do with

playing baseball. If he never played baseball an inning in his life, I would

love and accept him just as much."

 

Sean's coach looked at me for a long moment. Finally, all he could

muster was, "Well that's novel."

 

The season started and Sean's team won their first few games. But

they lost their third or fourth game, and the coach was true to his word. He

gave each player an ice cream sundae coupon and they all went out

to "celebrate" their loss.

 

Sean must have thanked me at least five times for the sundaes. In

addition, over the next two weeks three of the kids on his team came up and

thanked me for the special treat. I recall especially a boy named Jessie, who

said, "Thanks a lot for the ice cream sundaes, Mr McDowell. Wow!! it

doesn't matter to you if we win or not---you love us anyway."

 

Nothing could have made me happier than to hear that. What I wanted

to communicate is that their worth is not based upon their ability to

play baseball. It's based upon the fact that they are each created in the

image of God with infinite value and infinite dignity.

 

Is that kind of lesson too difficult for a twelve-year-old to

grasp? Obviously not, especially when you use ice cream to prove your point!

 

Courtesy of PravsJ

 

Sairam,

Swetha