“And they all left him and fled.” – Mark 14:50 (ESV)

Jesus Knows Loneliness

Those disciples. They bailed on their Master and friend. This hits home for those of us who’ve faced loneliness or have felt like we let someone down.

Isn’t it comforting to know that Jesus Himself, the Savior of the world, understands what it’s like to be lonely? At the very moment when he could have used the support the most, everybody bolted. Imagine the heartbreak! Yet, He doesn’t wallow in that. Instead, He moves forward, carrying the weight of the world’s sins to the cross. There’s something so profoundly human about this experience of loneliness. I reckon that when you or I feel deserted, we’re in good company. Jesus has been there and He gets it. We’re not alone in our aloneness, if you catch my drift.

Your Faithfulness Matters

Those little things you do? They matter. They matter a lot, especially to a God who felt the sting of being left alone. You don’t have to go around changing water into wine to make a difference. Sometimes, it’s as simple as sitting beside someone who’s having a rough day or helping a neighbor with groceries. Every kind act is like a warm hug to Jesus, telling Him, “You’re not alone, and neither am I.” It’s a two-way street of comfort that’s both cosmic and intimate.

From Deserters to Disciples

Here’s where the message really kicks in. You know those guys who deserted Jesus? They ended up being the cornerstones of the Christian church! Peter, who denied Him not once but three times, became one of the great Apostles. Heck, he even got the keys to the Kingdom! God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.

Let’s face it, we’ve all had our “deserter” moments. Maybe it was a promise you couldn’t keep or a calling you ignored because you were too scared or didn’t think you were up to the task. But guess what? God still wants you. He wants to use you, flaws and all, for His incredible purposes.

The Power of “Losers”

You might personify those disciples as failures. Losers. I think that’s gold right there. God’s economy doesn’t operate like the world’s. The world applauds success, but God applauds faithfulness. The world seeks the spotlight, but God seeks the heart. In His eyes, a “loser” who is faithful is a true winner, equipped to heal and minister, just like those deserters-turned-disciples.

In the grand story of redemption, it’s not the mighty or the successful who take center stage. It’s the humble, the flawed, and yes, even the deserters, who become heroes in God’s narrative. They are the ones who are given the power to change lives and heal broken hearts.

So there you have it. We all falter, but in God’s eyes, that doesn’t disqualify us. If anything, it sets us up for a comeback, turning us into bearers of His hope, grace, and love. Just remember, you’re never alone on this journey.

“I think you’re a loser.” Sounds like an insult, right?

Not necessarily.

There’s a line in the movie The Natural that states that very thing. (I’m a sucker for feel-good sports movies, and this is one of my favorites.) Darren McGaven plays Gus Sands, a sportscaster, who can make or break baseball players with just a few keystrokes. Robert Redford plays Roy Hobbs, a pitcher with the fictional New York Knights who can do, well, anything.

Hobbs walks the straight and narrow, much to the chagrin of the team owner, “The Judge.” The Judge wants his team to lose (it’s complicated). Hobbs refuses to be part of throwing a key game. The Judge gets Sands on board, and Sands has one simple comment to Hobbs – “I think you’re a loser.”

I don’t know why that little throwaway line sticks with me.

To a champion athlete, one of the biggest insults you can hurl at them is to call them a loser. That stings.

Are you a loser? Consider:

• You botched a huge test in middle school.
• You struck out.
• Your romantic partner ditched you for no good reason – ok, maybe you mishandled things.
• You were passed over for a promotion.
• You think you’re an idiot, that everyone else gets the breaks, everything you touch turns to doo-doo, and so on.

Let me say right now that failure is an event, not a person.

That has a lot to do with your mindset.

Having said that, I still think you’re a loser, or have the potential to be. Or, perhaps, why you should be a loser.

Here’s why.

• You have lost the capacity to hold a grudge. You realize that grudge-holding serves no purpose. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t have personal boundaries, and that sometimes it’s appropriate to gently remove yourself from a toxic person. But you know what I mean.
• Losing yourself in a cause bigger than you are. Volunteering at a homeless shelter. Going all-in as a disciple. Helping other folks without them knowing, or expecting anything in return. Picking up trash on the sidewalk that isn’t yours. The list is endless.
• You’ve lost your “rights.” That simply means that you have lost the sense that you’re entitled to “breaks, “blessings,” “bonuses,” and so forth. Every heartbeat is a gift – but you aren’t even entitled to that. It’s being in a state of perpetual gratitude. You’ve lost bitterness.
• Losing yourself in joy. I am not talking about an emotional state of mind that is transitory. Joy isn’t necessarily happiness. James said to consider it joy when we face trials of all kinds. Trials don’t make you happy, but the joy comes in knowing that there is always a purpose in trials.
• Peace is the loss of turmoil. Wouldn’t it be great to lose yourself in tranquility? This isn’t about entering some sort of zen state. Rather, it’s knowing that you have every reason to be at peace because you are gripped by the Prince of Peace. Having royalty on your side isn’t a bad thing.

I could keep riffing on these, but you understand. It might be a helpful exercise for you to get a pen and paper and list the things you want to lose.

Backing up to my illustration from The Natural (spoiler alert), Hobbs doesn’t throw the game. There’s a splendid happy ending (with fireworks, yet!) The Judge loses. This, to him, is the bad kind of loss. But for Hobbs, the loss of what could’ve been a substantial payoff became a good thing. Simple lesson – always do the right thing.

I think you’re a loser. Embrace that.

P.S. – there’s one other line of dialogue from The Natural that I love, between Hobbs and his childhood sweetheart Iris (Glenn Close):

– Iris Gaines: You know, I believe we have two lives.
– Roy Hobbs: How… what do you mean?
– Iris Gaines: The life we learn with and the life we live with after that.”

It sort of fits here, don’tcha think?