Who Won?

A forest ranger watched a deadly duel in the sky. With the aid of his binoculars he saw two eagles fighting over a fish that one of the birds had clutched in his claws. During the battle the fish fell to the ground, and a bear quickly snatched it up while the birds continued their fight. Finally they both fell to the ground exhausted, where they continued their battle to the death.

Foolish, you say, to fight on after the battle is lost. But what the birds did in ignorance we are doing all the time. We fight each other and destroy each other's life and property to win an argument. Then in the end we have to settle that same argument with our arms folded. What we argued and fought over has been destroyed.

A greedy person destroys more than he gets. Greed begins in our cradles. We think we want everything we see. Then we refuse to share what we have with others. Finally we destroy what we cannot keep to make sure that no one else will get it. When a person picks up his bat and glove and goes home because the game is not going his way, he breaks up the game, interrupts friendship, and cuts himself off from his world.

It is not weakness to give in to avoid a useless fight. The Christian learns that to give in at the right time saves a lot of time and bitterness by doing so. He is not to give in to something wrong, though, just for the sake of peace. But when selfishness and pride are at the bottom of the argument we sin against God and ourselves by holding on to an idea that gains nothing for anyone.

I like to win, Heavenly Father, but not at the cost of friendship and my self-respect. I do not want my pride ever to hurt me or anyone else.