The story of the underdog excites the mind and garners support from those who scream the name of low-probability trophy seekers. Longing for that heroic worst-to-first, rags to riches, hardly likely, regular guy to boost the hopes and dreams of average people. Hail to the underdog, they cry; never wishing to be in the path of similar scrutiny or thinner ice. Pledging support but more easily identifying with Alpha dog they’d prefer to be on top, in charge, numero uno, rather than David staring at Goliath. Effortless victory is the preferred path with wavering tolerance for a quick dust-up but never a protracted battle, where relief from uppercuts to the chin comes in the form of a punch in the gut. Where getting up means a continuance of the bloody incoming battle and no word from the cavalry. Where perseverance takes the long road through paths of discouragement and hope abandons strategy at the point where failure merges with likelihood. Standing at the brink of hopelessness magnifies the reward of winning but winning is a must in order to claim redemption. Win, or change the title of the story. From underdog to beaten dog; From underdog to sad dog that tried really hard dog. The underdog must eventually win or the story is no longer the come-from-behind underdog story.
“But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “ With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 (NKJV)
Unfolding His mantle of impossibility God turns winning upside-down and separates from it, the glorious benevolence of victory. He reverses the significance of reward, divides the good into heavenly portions and scatters it liberally to those who love Him. He has crossed-out the loneliness of winning and He carries winners into victory through surrender. He takes the struggling underdog through the beating and even defeat but somehow still emerges victorious.
Winning is a perpetual battle that feeds on itself. Victory is the perpetual overflow of contentment from battles won. Winning from the sheer will of man’s struggle has desire at its core. A need to win, to boast, to absorb the pride of human acceptance. When winning’s song is over, loss and disappointment rings out in deafening residual.
Victory’s song is audible at the battle’s onset and gradually reaches its crescendo without the conditions of winning.
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