day no. 15,002: let's start keeping score again

I think it's time we return to keeping score.

The self-esteem era ushered in along with it an endless supply of participation awards. Everyone began getting ribbons merely for entering the competition because winning isn't everything. And while it is true that winning isn't everything, it most certainly isn't nothing. In fact, in a competition, it is necessary.

The reason we celebrate Lightning McQueen choosing to lose in order to assist The King across the finish line is because he had to lose in order to do it. But if we remove losing as an option, we remove the ability to put anything above competition. Sure, we run the risk that some will take winning to an extreme and do whatever it takes to get the only blue ribbon available, but when we remove the one blue ribbon and replace it with one million purple ones, we run the risk that everyone will stop running altogether. 

When we remove the competitive element of an event, the gesture becomes meaningless. It doesn't mean anything to give up winning if everyone gets a trophy in the end. It doesn't mean anything to try or to not try, to lose or to win.

1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

When the outcome of the race doesn't determine anything, people won't run to the finish line. Can you imagine the absurdity of Paul attempting to inspire people to run the race of faith as hard as possible in a participation award culture?

Do you not know that in a race all runners receive a prize, even if no one runs? So run... or don't. Either way, we're all going to a better place in the end.

That's lame. 

Let's start keeping score again. It's good for morale. It encourages people to try. It may mean losing when you wanted to win. It may mean forfeiting the win in order to love your opponent. It may mean that some lie, cheat and steal in order to try to get the one golden trophy. But in the end, God is keeping score and the meek shall inherit the trophies that were stolen from them.