Victory at all cost will cost you all you have.
The world is consumed with winning.
Not that winning is bad. In fact, I like to win more than I like to lose. I think everybody’s like that.
The question is “What do you give up to win?”
If there is nothing you won’t do to win, it’s almost a certainty that you’ll lose. If you’ve sacrifice a relationship to win, you’re going to end up with the short end of the stick (losing). If you’ll lie, cheat, or steal to win, you’re going to regret the victory more than you would have mourned the loss.
Too often in our culture, the rules are seen as nothing more than something to break in order to win.
The problem with all of this is that we’re trying to win the wrong game.
Our mortal life only has one victory line and it’s crossed when you die. Before the race, we can zig and we can zag, hoping that our timing won’t catch up to us. That’s a dangerous game to play.
God doesn’t mince words about winning. He says that He will punish the world for its evil. He will end the arrogance of the Haughty and humble the pride of the ruthless.
Basically, He’s saying that these people have been playing the wrong game and they have lost. Not only were they playing the wrong game, they were playing by their own rules.
The Tiny Words. Big Life. takeaway is this: Change games if the game you’re playing rewards those who play for victory at all cost. Sure, you might have a few short victory dances. You might even hear some cheering from the bleachers. But in the only game that matters, you’ve lost and there are no extra innings for a comeback.
Isaiah 13:10-12
10 The stars of heaven and their constellations
will not show their light.
The rising sun will be darkened
and the moon will not give its light.
11 I will punish the world for its evil,
the wicked for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty
and will humble the pride of the ruthless.
12 I will make people scarcer than pure gold,
more rare than the gold of Ophir.