Weekly Words

It’s Not Whether You Win or Lose…

I have a new and profound respect for Oprah Winfrey. There are many things that make her worthy of admiration. She is probably the most successful talk show host of all times. She has endured a childhood of abuse and early adult low self-esteem to become one of the most powerful and multi-dimensional people in the media industry. She has also established a legacy through her commitment to utilizing black people and telling black people’s stories through the arts. Finally, she has been a major philanthropic presence throughout the world. Yet, this is not what has induced my recent admiration.

I recently was watching Good Morning America and it reported that Oprah has gone public with her battle with weight loss. For more than twenty years Oprah has had a public back and forth struggle with losing and gaining weight. She has appeared on TV with fat in a wagon demonstrating how much weight she has lost, only to gain in all back in a matter of a few years. This cycle has happened more than once and now Oprah currently weighs in excess of two hundred pounds. While tabloids may find this entertaining, I am so very proud, impressed, and inspired by Oprah’s public acknowledgement of this personal battle. I am proud because it demonstrates a profound spiritual point.

All of us have some vice that we cannot seem to kick. Oprah’s weight is some of our low self-esteem, another’s sexual promiscuity, someone else’s laziness and procrastination, or lying, cheating, low ambition, lack of drive, selfishness, etc….. You get the point! However, unlike Oprah in the case of her weight, some of us have lost the desire to fight against the vices that hold us back or keep us down in one way or another. I mean imagine that, after twenty years Oprah still is going back and forth with her weight. Over twenty years of struggle! Yet she still musters enough courage to go to battle with that which ails her and temporarily defeats her. I love it! I love it because this is an example of spirituality at its best and most real.

The truth of the matter is there are things in life that seem to get the best of us over and over again. Somewhere along the way we lose the desire, the discipline, and/or the determination to look that which plagues us in the face and continue to fight. Oprah has yet to decisively beat her weight problem, but as long as she continues to fight her weight problem has not decisively beat her. This is the case with all of us as long as we continue to fight our vices. I want to encourage someone today to keep fighting. As long as you keep fighting, whatever it is that has seemed to get the best of you cannot claim victory in your life. Sometimes the victory is in the fight. No, it does not always mean we conquer our spiritual and personal enemies, but it does mean we resist their ability to conquer us. This is the spiritual point that has garnered my affection and admiration for Oprah. It’s not always whether you win or lose; it is your decision to stay in the game. Keep fighting!!!

Humbly in Christ’s Love,
Pastor B.A. Jackson