Winner or Loser?

What makes a winner, and what makes a loser?

My students this morning came up with a wide variety of answers, ranging from certain local football teams, to people who have the innate talent (or don't), people who try, people who don't. All their definitions were comparable to fairly earthly things.

What's a winner, really?

This is it, in a nutshell: A winner is someone who is righteous, honest, not slanderous of others, loyal to God, and someone who does not take advantage of others' poverty (sounds like George Bailey - imagine that!).  This comes from Psalm 15.

Interesting.  Not a word about looks, wealth, fame, skill, or intelligence.  Not a word about Fortune 500 companies, Hollywood celebrities, big homes, diamonds, or fancy cars being the stuff of a winner. But to reverse that - there's also no word about drug addicted people, promiscuity, murderers, liars, or thieves being the stuff of a loser.

All-Encompassing

He only tells us what a winner is. He does not say one word about what a loser is.  God loves all people: rich, poor, sick, healthy, addicted, Godly, promiscuous, pure, righteous, and immoral. We are all human - not one of us different.  Tainted, yes. Forsaken, no.

This Psalm, if in whatever small way, proves that by default, none of us are losers!

So please, never think you are.  Because He does not think you are.