Way To Win

Read Proverbs 6:4-11

Ty sat at the kitchen table, reading a magazine. “Did you memorize today’s verse?” asked his sister Shawna. “This is the last week of the contest, you know.”

“Aw, I won’t win anything anyway,” Ty mumbled. “It’s too hard.”

“Better hurry,” advised Mom. “It’s almost time to leave for church, and you still need to feed Riley, too.”

At the mention of his name, Riley got his dish and dropped it at Ty’s feet. “Just a minute, boy,” said Ty.

“Ty!” said Mom. “Get going!”

Ty went to his room. Riley got his bowl, followed Ty, and again dropped it at Ty’s feet. Ty halfheartedly looked over his verse. Then he went back to the kitchen and picked up the magazine again. CRASH! Riley again dropped his dish. Ty laughed. “You don’t give up, do you, Riley?” he said. “Okay, I’ll feed you.”

Mom smiled. “We should all be a little more diligent, like Riley,” she said.

“Diligent?” asked Ty. “What’s that?”

“It’s what you just said—keeping at something and refusing to give up,” explained Mom.

A week later, the winners of the memory contest were announced. Shawna was one of the winners! The prize was a trip to Chicago. “Mrs. Morris is going with us,” she said excitedly on the way home. “I can’t wait!”

“It’s not fair,” grumbled Ty. “Shawna gets everything!”

“Shawna worked very hard to win that contest,” said Dad.

“Right,” agreed Mom. “She showed as much diligence as Riley. Riley wanted his breakfast and was willing to keep after you until he got it. He didn’t get lazy and give up.”

Dad nodded. “You only memorized three or four verses. That’s not giving your best,” he told Ty. “That’s not the way to win.”

Ty felt a little foolish—he hadn’t expected to learn a lesson from his dog! I wonder when the next contest starts? he thought. Next time I’m going to do my very best. LM

How about you?

Do you sometimes give a halfhearted effort at something and then get upset when you don’t get rewarded? Do you ever complain because things “aren’t fair,” when actually it’s your complaining that is unfair? The Lord tells us to be diligent—to give our best in all that we do.

Memorize:

“Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.” Romans 12:17, NIV