WINNERS KNOW WHEN TO QUIT

I saw this phrase over the weekend on a billboard along the highway to advertise casinos. It made me stop and look more than once because it seemed to be completely the opposite of what I expected. The more formal word is “antithesis”—the word “winner” and “quit” are not words that go together. A winner is someone who perseveres to the very end, not someone who quits along the way. So exactly what could the phrase mean??

Some states permit casinos to help bring in extra money. Other states are in direct opposition to the idea. There are no casinos allowed and when the bill is presented again and again before the legislature, the people vote against allowing them in the state. The number of states which do NOT permit casinos or some type of gaming are few. I happen to live in Arkansas, one of the states where casinos and gambling are not allowed.

Billboards in the states that permit casinos beckon to anyone traveling down the highway to visit and try their luck. It sounds so convincing that many people stop and take a chance. And to help those who are willing to visit and take their chance, there are places that will “help” you to have a good cash flow. Places which will lend money on your mortgage and pawn shops that will loan money on expensive jewelry or guns and other items.

Advertising makes it sound so easy. All sorts of promotions plead for the traveler to consider stopping along the way. One casino had a drawing for a car…one car given away each week through February and March. All you had to do was be there in person. It didn’t mention that in order to get a chance on winning the car, you had to spend money and the number of tickets you were awarded was based on how much money you had spent at that casino. Inexpensive room rates and complimentary meals with very reasonable prices and endless buffets are advertised. Hotel stays give reduced rates for staying one night. By using mail, more coupons and free offers are given so that you will be able of come more often. All of these enticements make it easy to lure people into coming and spending their money.

Promotional advertising is not restricted to billboards. In case you hadn’t noticed, poker tournaments are now broadcast on television. These tournaments make it sound like you can win huge “pots” if you know the right strategy. Winners who are not afraid to put $1,000 or more into the “pot” are tempted with the hopes of winning $10,000 or more. Some players spend their time as a “professional” and those players may win dollar amounts as high as ½ a million dollars. Others win larger amounts of money. Some players will bluff their way through the hand when they have absolutely nothing. Others only play when they have a really good hand. Maintaining a poker face is important and even such things as a blink of the eye, the twitch of a muscle, or a slight body movement will tell professional players whether you really have a good hand. One person that I know lost their job recently and had trouble finding work. He is someone who has a lot of money but wants to keep his mind occupied. He now spends his time as a gambler trying to make extra money.

Hebrews 12:1 motivates us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” As Christians we are to focus on Christ and with that focus our faith will keep us on the right path. We do not need “get rich quick” schemes or any of man’s promotional gimmicks to help us along the way. Sure, we are tempted and sometimes we succumb to the temptation. What one of us hasn’t at one time dreamed of winning the Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes, hitting it big in the lottery or at the horse races. Perhaps coming home with a huge jackpot won at a casino attracts us. Maybe a rich relative will pass away and leave us a large inheritance that will set us up for a lifetime. We could vie for a space on a reality show like the “Apprentice,” “American Idol” or “Amazing Race” or “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”. On shows like this the prize is a monetary award or recognition that will bring us fame and fortune. If we are totally honest, we have at least given it some thought at one point in life. It would be nice to be out of debt and not have to worry financially about money for the future.

But life is not like that for most people. “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things.” (I Corinthians 9:24) Notice that word “temperate”. It means being self-restrained in our behavior. Are we self-restrained when we allow ourselves to follow through with trying to win OUR race by gaining self-gratification through winning man’s games?

Consider the phrase again “winners know when to quit”. Winners of the race for eternal life and the crown of life know when it is time to come away from the temptations of this world and put their life into God’s hands. Knowing when to quit playing man’s games and recognizing the majesty and authority of God is becoming a “winner who knows when to quit”. Our priorities are in order and we will run the race successfully. And, if along the way when we fail, we only have to ask God’s forgiveness and continue on the right path. Paul, a missionary to many of the churches in the New Testament give this insight ”I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). His [God’s} race will test our fortitude but if we quit trying to look at man’s way and look towards Christ, then we will win the greatest prize of all. Winners who focus on God and His impact on our lives are the ones who overcome the obstacles and win in the real race, the race for a heavenly crown.