More and more these days, I have these experiences in my life that make me pause and think about who I really am. Not just who I say I am, but when I am in action, living and doing in the moment, what kind of character traits I exhibit. Well, recently I had one of those experiences that on the surface was inconsequential, yet it held a deeper meaning of what I am all about. So here is the incident.
I was at an event with a silent auction. While perusing the room, I saw an item that I loved. In fact, upon taking my seat for dinner I’d noticed that item and periodically caught glimpses of it during the night. Upon the bidding time, I began to place my bid and there by entered into somewhat of a bidding war with another bidder. As the auction prepared to close, I hovered around the table as a mother bird hovers around her nest, in sight but somewhat inconspicuous. However, the other bidder was doing the same.
He bid, I bid, He bid, I bid, someone else bid, He bid, I bid and so it goes. At last call for the auction, I am in winning position. As the attendant comes to collect the bid sheets, there by closing the bidding, my opponent’s spouse swoops in to place their last bid. Here is the kicker; I have the opportunity to bid one last time, but I don’t. I allow them to win the prize.
Now at first glance, this probably seems to be just a fun incident with little consequence. But in fact, it is much, much more than that. So much so, that I could not allow myself to purge the memory of it until I assessed its meaning to who I am and my character.
The underlying meaning is that in that moment and space of time, I allowed defeat. Not only did I allow it, I ushered it in. So it got me thinking, how many other times has the brass ring been in my hand that I chose to let it go. How many other times had God placed victory in my life only to be defeated by my own decision? I believe that in life, we are given opportunities to succeed and that for whatever reason we decide not to go for it. We won’t make the call, introduce ourselves, place the last bid, or whatever that action is that could bring a win to our life. If we are going to be successful, winning has to be instinctual.
Not that we have to be evil competitors, but the will to win has got to be a part of your life. In my case, the will to win is there but somehow I allowed myself to “shrink back” when I viewed the consequence as having no real bearing on my life. But here is what I am coming to understand. All decisions have consequences. All decisions shape our character and our destiny. So, from this day on, I have decided that I do not accept defeat!
God made me a winner; in fact, Romans 8:37 says that in all these things we are “more than conquerors” through him that loved us! So today I challenge you to look at yourself. What small character flaw exists in your life that could be having a bigger impact than you think? Find it, weed it out, and watch the result. For me…I won’t accept defeat. Will you?