Heading East toward Amarillo on Highway 40, we weren't expecting this! An attention grabbing bossy wooing the famished to gorge themselves. Draped on the cow's ample flanks are emblazoned the words, "Free 72 Oz. Steak." The big fella is the PR invention of The Big Texan Steak Ranch, RJ "Bob" Lee's legendary Amarillo attraction where over 40,000 have tried, and 8,000 have succeeded. Those whose names are enrolled on the "Wall of Fame" have eaten the required salad, shrimp cocktail, baked potato, dinner roll, and, yes, a four and half pound slab of beef in less than 60 minutes.
As a marketing strategy, I can't fault The Big Texan. They got my attention with their bodacious bovine. But I wonder, does something not seem a little skewed here? Is there anyone out there who would champion the benefits (health or otherwise) of such a rapacious act of consumption? What, exactly, has someone gained by "winning" this challenge?
The apostle Paul enjoins his prodigy Timothy to fight the good fight. His words suggest that there is nothing good served by fighting well the bad fight, the fight that isn’t worth fighting. His words call us to be selective about hills we are going to die on, the places where we are going to make our stand, the goals toward which we will strive. A HS football coach once told me, “Winners never quit and quitters never win.” I don’t question Coach B's counsel, but I also know that the winner in a contest worth fighting refuses to dissipate his energies in lesser pursuits.
So today, I purpose to fight the good fight! I will seek to apply my best efforts to the things most worth doing and avoid the lure of "winning" at what doesn't matter.
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