Groupies

Why does everyone want to hang out with the winning team?

If you’re on a winning team, and you’re a genuine part of their climb to “success,” then I get that. But if you’re just a groupie for the winning team? A Cheerleader? Hanging on the sidelines and watching from a distance: to me, that’s absolutely boring. You see a team is winning, so you want to be a part of it, vicariously. Why? So you can get in on the spoils?

I understand why people are attracted to the winners. It’s fun. It’s easy to be a groupie with the winners. You don’t even have to contribute to the victories. You can just feel good about yourself by being there for the win. Witnessing it. Feeling like you are a part of it, even though you really aren’t. So winners draw a crowd.

Have you considered how much more interesting and challenging it is to join with the underdog? To join with people who actually need you there? To be a part of a team that has somewhere to go besides down?

Sure, it can be a lonely, difficult business. And it certainly takes a lot more energy and commitment than hanging out on the sidelines with the winners. The groupies will accuse you of not caring about success. They’ll accuse you of not being serious enough or not passionate enough. You will be called a “loser” and it can make you question yourself. People will see you as “weak.” It goes with the territory.

But you will know better.

So, instead of spending so much time watching winning teams, maybe we should spend some time working with losing teams. Making a difference. Learning wisdom and compassion by living to build others up according to their need.

Please understand: the winners don’t really need you. At least not as much as the rest of us do.



Matthew 9: 11-13; 1 Corinthians 1: 27-31
Peace to you.

© LW Publishing 2010