| Thursday, February 15, 2007 |
| Skip the End Zone Dance |
Since I was a child I have been told to be more patient, slow down, take it easy, just relax and- to the surprise of many and chagrin of others- I can now say that I am a zen-master level of poker faces. Not that I don't have many trials more to go but in my first two years of ministry and work I feel that I have learned to sit in a horribly uncomfortable situation and have my face betray nothing. Which brings me to my point.
During all four of my college years I played flag football- seemingly insignificant to a casual observer but I am highly competitive and for 3 of my 4 years my team went to the championship game and the first two times I watched in disgust and frustration as we were beaten. During my senior year we went for the third time and this time won in the last play of the game. I remember being so happy over such a stupid thing that I ran and slid across the ground, knees down, in the cold and yelling. My wife, understanding my immaturity, smiled and hugged me (okay, she kissed me up good too).
But sometimes in life after a long struggle and final victory (hopefully of greater significance than flag football) you don't get to run and scream and do an end-zone dance. Because as you get older you worry about the other team remembering too much and their fans looking for you later. You realize that you can snatch happiness from the jaws of success and replace it with bitterness and regret if tact is not used.
You don't get to be Lattrell Spreewell or Mia Hamm or David Beckham and tear your shirt off at the zenith of victory and swing it around your head taunting those you have bested. You want to. But you don't.
And this is the difference between victory and Pyrrhic victory sometimes. You can win and win or win and lose. The man who wins and wins throughout life is the man who doesn't show his enemies his cards when the have all folded. Maybe he bluffed, maybe he didn't but you won't know next time either because he might need that trick again- and he will make sure it costs you to find out.
So when you win, win as a gentleman and as a spy. The one who laughs hardest and longest is the one that won and got away and no one ever knew they won. No successful spy tells his enemies what he did even when he was done- that's just stupid.
So skip the end-zone dance, watch the clock tick down, say nothing, and jog to the locker room. There's always another game- you might see some of those people again. |
posted by D.M. @ 12:17 PM  |
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| "Memento Mori."- Remeber that you will also die. |
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| Saying what needs to be said but everyone is afraid to say. |
| About Me |
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Name: D.M.
Home: Overland Park, Kansas, United States
About Me: I've lived at least 5 years in the last two but come out. After trials of fire and flame we are marching on and if we don't take the world we'll sure as heck die trying.
See my complete profile
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After one of the most difficult ministry years of my life I made it back to another fall. I hope my posts find you well and encourage thought and discussion. |
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