Principal’s Devotions 
Monday 21st February

Losers See Failure; Winners See Beyond It!

‘Let your eyes look straight ahead…’ Proverbs 4:25 NKJV


Behind every success story you’ll find sacrifices made to fulfil a dream, principles that govern lives in public and in private, the ability to turn a single victory into a system of success, and finally a relentless quest for personal growth. One Bible teacher writes, ‘As a boy I loved to watch the older men play draughts. One day one of them invited me to play. At first it looked easy. I captured one, then another of his draughts. Then suddenly he took one draught and hopped across the board yelling, King me! With that king he proceeded to wipe me off the board. That day I learned about long-range vision. Nobody minds losing a few draughts as long as they’re headed for king territory!’

What sustained Moses in the wilderness? His vision! ‘…He persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.’ (Hebrews 11:27 NIV) A God-given vision will keep you going when nothing else will. 
The Bible says, ‘Let your eyes look straight ahead… Ponder the path of your feet… Do not turn to the right or the left…’ (Proverbs 4:25-27 NKJV) 

What do you see in your future? You’ll never seize it until you see it! So, write down your vision and the reason you want to fulfil it, and what you’re willing to go through to make it happen. Then write down every challenge you can think of that you’ll have to overcome in order to 

pursue it. Do that, and you’ll be prepared for much of what comes your way. The difference between winners and losers is in how they view failure. Losers see failure; winners see beyond it!
What does this mean for a school? surely we can’t be advocating
 the “win at all costs”
 an attitude that is so prevalent in this dog eat dog world? Don’t we want out students to lean to be content with whatever their lot is life is? Surely if we promote competition it will only help the half who win, and demote the half who lose!

Some thoughts to ponder. 

  • No matter how nice and fair we make school, one day they will leave our care and face the real world. If the first time they lose is out there……. 


  • Christ made it clear we are in a battle with God on one side and Satan on the other. Deuteronomy 30:19 (New International Version, ©2010)
     19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live

  • God never meant us to have a life of failure and defeat, therefore, we must be expected to win in life, not for a short term goal but for an eternal crown. The theme of winning continues in the new testament:-  

1 Corinthians 9:25 (The Message)

24-25You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally.

So, if we are to protect out children from the effects of losing, part of the solution is to teach them to win! We already do it on awards night when we give one child in each class an award for being the best and most improved. We are continuing on this theme with the new college colour scheme. We participate in an education system with gates that allow some students to continue into university based on their O.P. score. There is even criteria to meet if we are to enter heaven one day and enjoy true communion with our Lord.

So, it is up to us to tell our students the truth. We live in a world of standards and expectations. There are successes and failures, people who made it and those who don’t. We can teach our students to have a winning attitude, not just for temporal goals like swimming carnivals and house competitions but for more enduring ideas like personal bests and perseverance in the face of adversity, stick-to-itve-ness. We might even teach self-control and life long learning! It is even possible we can produce students who want to make the world a better place, and have the skills to do it!

How is this best done? two simple methods:
  1. Example (are we worth copying?)
  2. Relationship (are we worth respecting?)


Have a great week, teaching students how to win, the right way……….


Yours faithfully
Graeme Johnston Dip. Teach., B. Ed., M.A.C.E.
Principal – Emerald Christian College
 
This devotions is based on one from http://www.thewordfortoday.com.au

Soul Food: Ex 20:3, Acts 14:1-18, 1 Sam 5:1-5