The victor

Romans 8:37-39

As a young man, all I ever wanted to be was the best, not at any one thing, just anything. I was convinced that if I could hone my skills and vie my way to the pinnacle of achievement, then I would be valued in the eyes of those I so desperately sought to impress the most; anyone. I guess this all began back in the fifth grade. I remember sitting in class when the teacher informed us about a track meet that was going to take place at a local area school. She encouraged all of us to sign up for whatever event we wanted to compete in. I chose the 50-yard dash and wanted more than anyone to win. From that moment on, I had my eyes set on that first place ribbon. My brother and I practiced in front of our house. I don't think either of us knew exactly how far 50 yards was, so he just picked two points on the street and told me to run; and run I did. I ran and ran and ran some more. Then, when we were done, I was more convinced than ever that I was going to come home a winner. The day of the track meet came and I ran in a number of different events. Though I never took first place, I ran my hardest, and I did my best. That next Monday, I remember sitting in class and hearing the principle announce over the loud speaker the accomplishments of the weekend's track meet. When he came to the 50-yard dash, he mentioned me as "Winning the fourth place position!" All the other kids in my class cheered and applauded, and I liked it. No, I loved it because they thought I was a winner, and everyone wants to be a winner. Now, I enjoy telling that story because it makes me look like a young victor, and if not a victor, then at least a worthy competitor. However, the simple truth is that there were only four people running the 50-yard dash that day; and even though I sat there and relished in the esteem of my classmates I knew that I placed dead last. Not only was I the last one to cross the line, but I don't think any of the other kids were even on the field when I got there. I'm serious, I'm talking dead last, and it was only 50 yards! Now, I would like to say that this was an isolated incident common to all little boys, but for the sake of honesty, I have to admit that I have never been the winner. I failed at 7th grade wrestling, the 5K run in 8th, and kickboxing after High School. In between then I was turned down for every football or softball team I ever tried for. All the couches said I was either too small for my age group or I would just get hurt. However, that never stopped me from trying. I wanted to be a winner. I wanted to be the player that hit the winning home run, and the fighter that went 15 rounds. I wanted to be anyone who has ever beaten the odds and was carried off the field of victory. I wanted to be the hero and I wanted my first place ribbon. So, in vain, I would hone my skills and practice at everything I did, hoping that some day I would stand amongst my peers a winner, a champion, a victor. Unfortunately, that crown was never mine to wear. Regardless of my efforts, my skills in any area have never climbed to those heights.

This reminds me of Paul. For, Paul too, wanted to be a winner and He had his eyes set on first place. However, to be a champion and a victor, to Paul, had nothing to do with receiving the esteem of his peers or taking home ribbons. Instead, it had everything to do with receiving the crown of righteousness. Though, by the worlds standards, Paul was already a winner, and amongst the elite at that. "Circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless (Philippians 3:5-6)." Yet, even though he had the esteem of others, and had surpassed the heights of achievement of his day, he knew by his own rights that he was no winner at all. Instead we read in his letter to the believers in Rome, "I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin (7:14)", and "For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate to do (v 15)". "I know that nothing good lives in me (v 17)", and "I have the desire to do what is good, but cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this is what I keep on doing (vv 18-19)." Then finally he cries out, "Wretched man that I am! Who will save me from this body of death (v 24)?" Paul wanted to be a winner, and though he continually poured himself out like a drink offering (2 Timothy 4:6) he was unable to climb to those heights. With similar frustration he writes to Timothy, " Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst (1 Timothy 1:15)." Paul was unable to achieve with a price what Christ Jesus has given to us all freely. For this reason, Paul proclaims, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37-39)." This was his gospel, the message of Christ to a world that had lost it all; that there was nothing more to win, nothing else to achieve in all creation that we have not already received through the love of God. That crown, our inheritance, outshines all others and will never perish, spoil or fade (1 Peter 1:3). For many, we have never been the winner; and for some, all you see is a lifetime of failed attempts at a prize that was never meant to be ours. Put it aside. The finish line has already been crossed; our race has already been won. Through the love of Christ, we are more than conquerors. In Him, we have surpassed the gladiator that triumphs the coliseum, ran faster than the runner that has no second. We have scaled the mountains and soared beyond the clouds, we have vanquished the fighter, gone fifteen rounds. We are the soldiers, the hunters, the players, the champs. We are the ones carried as the winners from the field. We are more than conquerors. We are, in the eyes and heart of God, everything we ever wanted to be. We are, through the love of Christ, the victors after all.  [mp]

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