WORTH READING 26 Sep 2007

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!

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