Are You Playing Not to Lose?

If you watch many football games, you will likely hear a commentator discuss the perils of a prevent defense (a defense where the team with the lead is willing to give up chunks of yards because they think it gives them the best chance of winning). Some commentators will go so far as to say that the only thing a prevent defense does is prevent a team from winning. While one can certainly debate the relative strengths and limitations of the prevent defense in football, I believe God is firmly against us living life in a “prevent defense” type of mode.

God promised the Israelites that He would rescue them from Egypt and give them a “...good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey...” (Exodus 3:8). That being said, God didn't want the Israelites to just be on cruise control seeking comfort and actively demonstrating their faith in God. God gave the Israelites opportunities to grow and reveal their faith in Him. Likewise, David was anointed the future king of Israel as a young shepherd boy (1st Samuel 16:1-13), but still hat to face Goliath (1st Samuel 17) and be harassed by King Saul. Another example is Jesus' calling of Peter to be fishers of men (Matthew 4:18-20). Peter and the disciples were certainly not on a vacation cruise of the Mediterranean just listening to Jesus talk about how wonderful heaven is going to be one of these days....in fact Peter and the disciples were in for all sorts of persecution including being arrested and killed for proclaiming that Jesus is the resurrected Messiah.

While the eternal destination of all people who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour is known and not in doubt, this knowledge doesn't mean that we should just live the rest of our lives seeking comfort. We are to be like John, preparing the way for Christ's return to Earth....telling all who will listen “...I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ' Make straight the way for the Lord'” (John 1:23). Let's go about life swinging for the fences and not just limping to the finish line with a prevent defense to gain temporary comfort.