by A. A. Neale

Two brothers. Winner Lane is 44. Loser Lane is 41. Their father was a baseball fan, says a sister, so he named the son Winner. Then came another son. To complete the pair, he became Loser.

But Loser is no loser. He's a successful police detective in New York's South Bronx. And Winner hasn't lived up to his name. He's committed a string of petty crimes.

In this case, Loser is the winner, and Winner, the loser.

Something like the first being last and the last coming in first, isn't it?

How many people have been given all the advantages, only to throw it all away? And how many others who never got the good breaks went on to great success?

How many Christians were raised in godly homes sold out their birthright for a pot of soup? And how many pagans discovered the unique treasure of the gospel and sold everything they had to acquire it?

How many hard workers discovered that personal efforts don't wash with God? And how many shifters stumbled onto grace and spent themselves in holy obedience?

How many got tagged as the winner and threw it all away? And how many were branded as losers only to come out on top?

The difference? Attitude. Decision. Focus.

For good or bad, these internal switches ignore advantages and disadvantages to direct the individual toward his established goal.

So it doesn't matter whether you're name is Winner or Loser. Matters more what you've decided to become.