At the youth group at my church, we have a very specific definition for winning. For us, winning means to have a conversation with a teenager specifically about his/her relationship with Jesus Christ. That is our goal. Of course we are doing good things by sharing the gospel, leading worship, and building relationships. But if the students aren’t growing in their individual relationships with God, then we are not winning.
So every Sunday morning during Sunday School and Wednesday evening in the youth room, I try to focus on winning. I focus on helping those students grow closer to Christ. That’s great work, right? I feel like it is. However, let me re-write that sentence, highlighting the parts that I most often overlook. “So every Sunday morning during Sunday School and Wednesday evening in the youth room, I try to focus on winning.” I focus on winning every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening.
What in the world am I doing the rest of the week?! Sure, those are the only two times I interact with those students at church. But what about all of the other people I interact with every day? What about my family, my neighbors, and my co-workers? If I am as competitive as I claim to be, why am I not trying to win when I am around them?
I honestly cannot answer those questions. However, I do realize how important it is to have those conversations. If we aren’t sharing our lives with each other, especially the details of our spiritual walk, then we are not doing enough to share the love of Christ. We are not doing what it takes to win.
What victories have you had lately?