Zig Ziglar once wrote, “You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.”
There is so much truth in this statement, however many people don’t believe it.
During my lifetime I have seen many people fail due to lack of belief in what they were doing or expecting. I have been among this group on several occasions and as I have looked back on some of the decisions I made and actions that I pursued, I am totally embarrassed over what I did.
I am a positive person but I have allowed doubts and fears to interrupt my thinking and attitude so many times that I wonder why the Lord has blessed me the way He has. There are so many times that I, and there are a lot of people that do what I have done, reacted to a situation instead of thinking it through and then responding to what needed to be done. One of the greatest lessons in life that I have ever been taught came from a high school baseball teammate.
Jimmy was a good friend and we grew up together.
He was a tremendous player and person and went on to become an all-American baseball player in college. It was in a playoff game that we really needed to win and where I was watching the opposing pitcher as he was warming up. Understand that I wasn’t a bad player myself but I allowed indecision to crawl all over me and made the statement, “I can’t hit this guy!” I reacted to what I was seeing instead of mentally preparing myself for doing what I needed to do.
Jimmy was sitting next to me and heard what I said. He grabbed my face with his hands and got up nose to nose and said “No, you want hit this guy because you don’t think you can. You have got to make up your mind that you can hit him. If you believe you can do something, then you can.”
This reminds me of some people who reject Jesus.
Even back in the days when Jesus walked the earth his own people rejected Him even though they had heard His teachings, witnessed His miracles, and knew that He was raised from the dead. In John’s gospel chapter 1 verse 11 we are told, “He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.” They played on their reactions taught through the world instead of responding to the truth that Jesus had given them.
So many people in the world today continue to react from the world’s teaching instead of relying on God’s Holy Word for the truth. If all the people would read and respond to God’s teaching then the world would be a much better place. People would then realize that all the great things they have accomplished and acquired from earthly treasures mean nothing to the saving grace and eternal life Jesus promises us if we will only believe and accept Him as our Lord and Savior.
My friend Jimmy taught me a long time ago about being positive and believing in myself to accomplish my goals. He was right and my attitude changed that day and I was able to deliver a hit for my team off of a pitcher that I at first didn’t think I could hit. All of that is now a great memory but that is all it is because it has come and gone.
The day I responded to Jesus’ call for me to accept Him as my personal Savior was the greatest day I could ever ask for because He promised me an eternal home with Him.
