The world loves winners – being first is the name of the game, and in an effort to win, countless hours are invested in training, practicing, enduring, persevering, and aspiring.

It requires an all consuming focus and intensity to be number one and remain a winner.

As much effort as we put into winning at sports, our careers, our hobbies, our art, and our craft, which is great – how impactful would our life be if we invested the same intensity to those things that may not always get noticed and applause, like our faith, character, and care?

For me, it seems so much easier to pour all my passion and drive into my career because there is immediate benefit I can see, like money, recognition, promotion, and prestige – however, no matter how much success one may achieve in these areas, it can all be lost, taken away, and forgotten. It’s temporal.

Yet, when my focus and pursuits center around my faith, hope, and love, I discover the changes this focus creates in my character and capacity to care for others has immeasurable impact on my family, my relationships, my community, and my level of joy and contentment.

Interestingly, my contentment is short lived when based solely on my wins in life, because they never last, but when I aspire to live with a perspective that stretches beyond my accomplishments and towards my walk with God, something powerful happens in my soul, and Spirit, that impacts everything else I do, and the relationships I hold most dear.

Winning is great, and the discipline, victories, and comebacks are awesome, and should be cheered – yet, may we never neglect our eternal legacy merely for the temporal and temporary we can see.