Losing Stupid

By Rev. Tim Pauls

The Pauls Family Rule of Sports goes like this: we don’t mind losing, but we hate losing stupid.

It’s bad grammar,but here’s what it means—playing sports isn’t about winning. It’s about discipline, sportsmanship, fitness, and fun. Losing by slop or sloth is “losing stupid.” I’d rather play as hard as I can and lose than play a sloppy game and win. And I’d much rather stick to the rules and lose than cheat to win. There’s nothing worse than a tainted victory.

Some will call this the “Pauls Family Rule of Dignity Preservation” since we’re not exactly Olympic athletes. Part of me suspects that “Pauls” means “lacks upper body strength,” as the typical male in my family would get snapped in half like a twig if he ever ventured onto a football field. We don’t always win. We lose quite a bit.

That’s okay. My kids play sports because I want them to learn some lessons for life. You win some, you lose some. Don’t play to be the best, but to do your best. Play for the team, not for yourself.

This one is really important: Never, ever determine your worth by the score at the end of the game.

After all, it’s just a game. Don’t get me wrong—if you can play, I’m impressed. But there’s so much more to you than athletic ability. However, there’s always the temptation to believe you’re only worth something if you win.

That’s where steroids come in. Athletics is about competition and I have no problem with that, but many athletes have turned to steroids to increase strength and power. There’s major risk involved, like getting arrested. Like girls going irreversibly bald and growing facial hair or guys developing breasts. (Now, there’s a lovely prom couple!) Like permanently stunting growth. Like uncontrollable rage. Like dying young from a heart attack or a cyst that makes your liver bleed out. Not only professional athletes use steroids. Steroids are used in college, high school, even middle school. Many think it’s worth the risk. But why?

We can list some reasons. There’s greed, since the best players get the top scholarships, contracts and endorsements. There’s pride, since the star gets the recognition and glory. There’s fear of not being the best. They’re just symptoms, though, of the false belief that your ability determines your worth.

If you want one good reason not to determine your worth by sports, here it is: entropy. Everything falls apart. Even if you’re the best today, you won’t be that good for long. Michael Jordan—even without steroids—used to be unstoppable; now LeBron James can leave him in the dust. In a few years, LeBron will be history.

Establishing your worth by sports is a treasure that quickly passes away, even if you play clean. Using steroids creates an inflated worth that isn’t there. It comes crashing down—if not by time, then by shame. Everything done by a player who’s juiced is tainted. Have you seen Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire smiling lately?

Never determine your worth by the scoreboard or your athletic ability. The scoreboard goes dark by the end of the night, and your abilities will fail. Of course, this goes well beyond sports. Some girls are taking steroids just to try for a toned look, trying to look more like a supermodel. (A bald, bearded supermodel?) But beauty also passes away. It’s just as foolish to set your worth by singing ability, SAT scores, or sense of humor. Instead, these gifts of God can become a god that wants your worship, but leaves you dead and worthless in the end. Putting your value in things that pass away is losing stupid .

Now, here’s the Good News: you have worth that doesn’t change. You have eternal value. “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:20). And God “did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all” (Rom. 8:32).

You were bought at a price. God has made you worth the blood of His only-begotten Son. That’s what He has paid to set you free from sin, death, and the devil. That’s what He paid to raise you up to everlasting life where things—and you—don’t fall apart anymore. That’s what He paid to forgive you for all the times that you fall for the temptation of finding worth in yourself. Christ died. Christ is risen. He shares that victory with you, and that victory is never going to pass away.

Good luck in sports. And when you sign your contract with the billion dollar bonus, remember Higher Things.

And the Pauls’ Retirement Fund.

If the contract never happens, fear not. You’re worth more than the world—and you’re going to outlast it, too, because you’re among those redeemed by Christ.

Rev. Tim Pauls is associate pastor and acting school administrator at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and School in Boise, Idaho. He recently beat a nine-year-old in a game of “horse.” No steroids were involved. His email address is tpauls@goodshepherdboise.org.