We Don't Want Blowouts
🤔 The need for adversity in the game of life
The local high school had a homecoming football game the other night, and it was a blowout. The home team won, to put it mildly…
63 - 0
Ouch. The first few touchdowns must have been a pure thrill, with family and fans screaming as the band played on and the cheerleaders led the crowd in various chants about thumping the competition. “When we say draw, you say blood. Draw…”
But after that? After uncontested touchdown number five? Pure boredom. The home crowd was probably secretly hoping the away team would intercept a pass and run it into the end zone, just to make it interesting.
The game isn’t fun when it’s one-sided, when there’s no adversity or conflict or potential for loss. As torturous as it is, we long to find ourselves at the edge of our seats.
Why do we forget this in our own lives?
Why do we expect to run up the score without taking nasty hits? We hope for comfort and ease, but too much of it leaves us restless and unfulfilled. Just like the lopsided football game, life without resistance (and the potential for devastating loss) is dull and flat.
Challenges give meaning to our victories.
Resistance builds resilience.
Last-minute Hail Mary close calls awaken our potential.
As good as it may sound, let’s not fool ourselves. We don’t want blowouts.
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