Jesus is for losers

I hear Virginia is for lovers. And God is for suckers. And Greece apparently wants to be for lovers too.

Whatever - Jesus is for losers. Thats right, I said it.

Lets clarify though -

I'm not saying losers choose Jesus. Although that often happens because losers don't really have much else to choose in life. Think of some losers you know - why are they losers? Often we think losers are stupid, lazy, poor, or just unlucky. While this might be the case some of the time, it isn't the case all the time. And besides, these things don't matter when describing your loser. Losers suck at life, can't get a girl if they tried, or maybe have some massive obstacle in their life they simply can't overcome. Hence: loser. For example, I can't spell to save my life. The white board scares me in Bible Study because the word "deceit" throws me. It only has two syllables! (loserdom)

Losers are often told they are losers. This has led to a massive social/educational attempt to wipe-out loserdom by telling everyone they are not losers. Just tell yourself over and over that you are a winner and BOOM, it happens (they say). This is not only cruel and deceitful (ha! I got it right!) but it is also unrealistic. Anyone who spends 5 minutes in the real world discovers there is always someone smarter, faster, and better looking than you. Eventually, no matter how much you win (and no matter how much you tell yourself it won't happen), you will eventually lose. To be a winner almost always means someone else has to lose. There are very few places in this world where everyone gets to win OR where that is even celebrated. Hey, we can't all be above average, or else that becomes the new average.

There are some winners running around praising Jesus for making them winners. That's cool, congrats - just be warned that the worst thing about being a winner is something called pride. It infects the best of the best. It also, paradoxically, infects the worst of the worst. I know people who are in need and are too proud to ask for or take any help.

Are you a loser? Well there is an easy test for that. If you answer yes to any of the following, you could be a loser.

• Have you ever gotten made fun of?
• Have you ever worked an hourly wage job?
• Are you so wrapped up in wealth that you don't see other people as human anymore?
• Is the pursuit of money driving you to sacrifice part of yourself?
• You ever had a health issue? (coughing counts, so do hereditary issues)
• Ever taken advantage of others?

if you answered yes to any of those, you are less than perfect. Welcome to the club!

I'm really saying that Jesus chooses losers - he is "for" losers, make sense? Jesus whole ministry centers around being there for the broken, oppressed, and defeated. He said himself he didn't come for the healthy, he came for the sick. And sick folks aren't winners. If they were, they won't be sick anymore. Get it? This means that the losers have someone who negates their loserdom. In the grand scheme of things, Jesus makes us all...winners. Thats right. I think its the whole Kingdom of God flipping things around issue.

Jesus says, the first will be last and the last will be first - losers become winners. The meek inherit the earth - losers become winners. it goes on and on.

Undoubtedly, some "winners" will read this blog and be highly offended that I would encourage such label acceptance. Two things Mr/Mrs. winner: 1) Who do you trust more in this world? Friends who love you even though they know that deep down you have epic fail written all over your soul OR friends who show up once you win the lottery? Exactly. Calling a spade a spade makes everything easier. 2.) When we win, celebrate! When we lose? celebrate! St Paul says our weaknesses are beautiful opportunities for God to show up.

Undoubtedly, some will read this blog and think that I'm only giving half the story. Certainly God loves everyone, right? Isn't Jesus for winners too? Wrong. Winners don't need God (or think they don't). This is one reason its so hard for wealthy people to enter the Kingdom of God - because they aren't losers.

If God *is* for winners, then it would have to be a pretty select few. It would have to be someone who hasn't made a living by oppressing others (to say it differently, it depends on how you became a winner. Did you make someone else a loser?) and shares all their "winnings" with everyone around them, thus making them one big loser. Thats a real winner, and yes, I think Jesus is for them.

It might be clearer to say that God is both for the oppressed and the oppressor - and God's track for helping both halts the oppression in each.

So! Have heart my friend, Jesus really is for losers.

And for those who think I've got a chip on my shoulder and really just wish I could be a winner - get behind me satan - you have your mind set on earthly things. Sure, sometimes I wish that, who doesn't? But if I do my job correctly following Jesus it won't really matter if I "win" or "lose" as that's already taken care of. The world may or may not consider me a winner. But I don't care, because in God's eyes, I'm a winner, err...loser. :)