Only The Losers

But, Are WE Really in Need?

Sharing an Article by Keith Giles

I recall the words I saw on the T-shirt of a guy who was in a hardcore “Death-Metal” band, some 15-years ago. On the front of the shirt it said, “What a Bunch of Losers.” On the back of the shirt it said:

How foolish are those

that worship such a King,

Who was hung on a Cross – 

Between two thieves!

Ever feel foolish, or maybe like you were some kind of “LOSER”? Well, wait a minute – No Way! Not me, and certainly not you. Afterall, you’re my friend and besides, the Holy Bible says we’re both “New Creations in Christ” – right? So, let's do our best to “leave the past behind and press on.” Yep, we put on our best clothes and a happy face and we go about life.

Now in reality, it would seem that the “true character” of a man or woman is not how we are when people are watching and everything’s going just fine. But rather, how we are (truly feeling) when no one is watching and nothing seems to be going right in our lives. Perhaps we might consider how we feel and act when things aren’t going the way we would like them to, according to “our plans, hopes, dreams and expectations.”

Unfortunately, all of us have endured some painful experiences in life, and no one is exempt. Some of those hurts, wounds and consequences were brought about by our own choices. Sometimes, it’s what other people have done that has had a negative impact upon us. And yet, some of us seem to handle the negativity in life a little better than others.

A close friend once said to me, “Man, I just don’t know how you do it. You keep getting in these (emotional) car crashes and then you get up, dust yourself off and walk away like NOTHING happened.” At the time, I felt good about him saying that, but it WASN’T a compliment. My friend saw the heartfelt wounds of life taking their toll on me, and unfortunately I didn’t. Perhaps, I was truly Blessed when God stopped the “car crashes” and then finally just “dropped a mountain on me.” I think it was at that point that I eventually heard God say. . . “STAY DOWN.” Yes indeed, the Lord loved me enough to finally CRUSH me. In reality, I finally came to that place of saying, “I give up, Lord – have Your Way with me.” So, I must confess. . . I became a “Loser.”

Perhaps in “His Ways being Higher than our ways,” God allows some hurtful things to happen to all of us for a reason. I believe that reason is, ultimately, His desire for Transformation in our individual hearts and lives. I think Paul the Apostle knew something about “being a Loser.” Prior to his Transformational Journey in Christ, Paul (Saul) was truly “on top of his game.” He openly shared his accomplishments (and previous [wounded] pride) in the Book of Philippians – “. . . though I myself have reasons
for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.” (Phil. 3:4-6)  Well, Paul previously WAS an obvious “Winner.”

But, as Paul continues in verses 7-8, he writes, “But whatever was to
my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.
I consider them RUBBISH, that I may gain Christ.” (Phil. 3:7-8)  Well,
I guess it happened – Paul became a “Loser” in Christ.

For King David, the Lord allowed him to make some choices that would eventually bring him down. And, it was in David’s acceptance of the Lord’s loving him enough to crush him, that he wrote, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” (Psalm 119:71)

As Job was experiencing extreme tribulation in his life, he wrote, "Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for, that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut me off!” (Job 6:8-9)  As I researched this last verse, I noted the “exclamation point” – it’s in EVERY version of the Bible, going back to the original King James. Seems to me that Job "was cryin’ out loud,” just a bit – Hmmm.

Even Naomi is noted as saying, "Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me." (Ruth 1:20-21) 

Hmmm – again. I’m not sure how you feel, but I’m starting to like this list of “Losers.” Maybe with some of the unfortunate experiences I’ve had in my life, God actually loves me, too. So, how about you? Do you see God’s Loving Hand of Kindness at work in your life? Following, is an article I received from a fellow “Loser,” which was written by Keith Giles. May the Truth be told and shared – Glory to God!  And take heart – The Lord Loves each of us so much, that He’s not done with any of us – just yet.

R Butch David

Only The Losers

(By Keith Giles – www.subversive1.blogspot.com)

Only the broken can know the unending joy that comes from being re-formed [transformed - rbd] again into something beautiful. Only the hopeless can experience the astounding relief that comes from being rescued at the last moment. Only the poor can understand what it feels like to receive that undeserved gift of mercy, or food, or rent. Only the losers appreciate the fact that they have been given a trophy that they know they could ever earn on their own.

This is the Kingdom of God. It is scandalously inclusive. It runs against the grain of fairness and tramples on our sense of equality.

Jesus came announcing the Good News that the Kingdom of God was wide open. Anyone could enter it on the spot. However, there were a few conditions. His Sermon on the Mount outlined the requirements for seeing and entering the Kingdom of God. “Blessed are the poor. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are those who mourn.”

As John Fischer points out, when it comes to the Kingdom of God – “Proud people don't get in. Rich people don't get in. Successful people don't get in. Self-righteous people don't get in. Happy people don't get in. Competent people don't get in. And it's more than just getting in. People like this don't even see it. They don't know what
it is. They can't. They are blinded by their own sufficiency.”

This is why Jesus proclaimed that it was not for those who are well that he came, but for those who are sick. It was not for the righteous that he came, but for the sinners who were desperate for salvation and
had no way of measuring up without a Messiah who was full of mercy.
(Luke 5:31-32)

I love the account in the Gospel of John (Chapter 9) where Jesus heals
a man born blind. The entire chapter chronicles a kangaroo court where the Pharisees attempt to get at the bottom of this miracle (which Jesus decided to perform on the Sabbath, of course). Throughout the chapter there is a fascinating juxtaposition of the physical blindness the beggar experienced and the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees. At the end of
the chapter, Jesus says, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” (John 9:39) Hearing this, some of the Pharisees asked him,
“Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.” (John 9:40-41)

See? Those who know that they are blind [wounded/brokenhearted - rbd] receive sight [healing - rbd]. Those who pretend that they can see are without hope because if they would simply admit that they were in need of Jesus, He would reach out and heal them.