I started playing tennis 6 years ago which means I’ve had 6 years to lose ugly. And what I’ve learned is that there are many, many ways to lose ugly. If I’m lucky I win ugly. But at least it’s a win. (To paraphrase Shakespeare, A win by any other name…).
My tennis coach, Aldo Burga, puts this into perspective. He says I must lose ugly many times before I learn to win pretty (or words to that effect). It’s this hope, that the ugly will eventually end, that keeps me enthusiastic and working hard at the game.
There’s another, more important context to losing and it was brought to my attention by my friend and priest, Fr. Joe. He quoted A.W. Tozer, “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until he has hurt him deeply.” In like manner we learn from the Book of Job, for example, that adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God.
What’s the connection?
Losing is never final. Losing (losing ugly, being hurt, having dreams smashed) is the cost of traveling a path to something we value, something that, when attained, more than compensates for any loss or pain. That’s my hope with tennis. And that is my belief with Christ, that with faith and endurance all things will be made good, losing will be redeemed, and the blessings will flow.
