You’ve probably heard something to the effect that “winners never cheat, and cheaters never win.” Maybe you bought it as a kid, and now realize it’s not true. In reality, there are lots of winners of games and contests who cheated their way to victory. In fact, cheating is a great way to win. In some cases, cheating ensures victory. “If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying,” or something like that.
Here’s the dilemma: you might be a person who loves the truth and strives to compete with integrity, according to the rules, every time and without exception. And you just lost to someone who doesn’t.
Proverbs 24:19-20–“Do not fret because of evildoers, or be envious of the wicked; for there will be no future for the evil man; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.”
Do not fret. That’s another way of saying, “Don’t wear yourself out being obsessed with the actions…” of someone who cheats their way through life and baseball. Look, this is difficult. Cheaters take something from us. Those whose lives are anything but godly steal what is rightfully ours (we think). Namely, justification in the eyes of others. We want to believe that those who play the game the right way will always win. We want to think that those who follow Jesus in this life will always be applauded for it.
Hardly.
Even so, God has something to say about it. Eventually, everyone answers for their actions. Eventually, everyone stands before Jesus.
The key, then, to applying this verse, when it comes to baseball or anything else, is twofold. First, do we trust what God said in the Scripture? Second, is our hope fixed on this life or the one to come?
Only those who answer yes to both questions can live in peace on and off the field, even when the cheaters win.
Lord Jesus, I trust you and your word. Help me avoid obsession with this world. Amen.
