Let's play a little pretend poker. You're in a 100-person tournament. Only the top ten earn money. There are 12 players remaining at two tables. A player ahead of you raises enough pre-flop to put you all in. You check your cards and see 10-10. What do you do?
Your response to this situation may say a lot about you and your intentions. If you're trying simply to "make the money," you might fold this rather promising hand. But if your goal is to win first place and the top prize, would you call? Would you go all-in -- even if it means risking everything, and perhaps winning no money at all?
The sports world has a phrase which might apply to the people who fold - they're "playing not to lose," instead of playing to win.
We heard a thought-provoking church message this weekend about that very concept. The speaker said some people can take that approach to their lives -- and by doing so, they allow the devil to get to them. Instead, he said we should focus on winning because....
....In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. - Romans 8:37
The "things" Paul mentions here are much more stark than an all-in moment at a poker tournament -- everything from tribulation to famine to a deadly sword (v. 35).
Perhaps you're saying you've "gone for it" at the table many times, only to wind up at the rail over and over? Well, the speaker went on to say we should NOT focus on our past failures.
How much more, then will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God? - Hebrews 9:14
Shift your focus, the speaker said -- away from earlier stumbles, to follow the One who already has overcome all trials. That makes us think of these words of Jesus:
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. - John 16:33
How do we do that, to overcome the world? It takes the infusion of God's Holy Spirit....
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. - II Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
We've admittedly followed the "hang in there" approach many times in poker tournaments -- as our standard has been based on making final tables, as opposed to going all the way and winning prize money. The thinking has been: "Just get me there, and give me a chance." But come to think of it, we don't often reach the final table in a dominant chip position that way.
So tell us -- what's your strategy at a tournament? And do we need to make some adjustments?
No comments:
Post a Comment