Play the game of life according to Scott

An friend of mine, her name was Tracy once wrote on her blog that she learned from a old college professor, “you play the game of life to win and at any costs.” At the time I was always impressed by that, then I thought about it for a moment and I realized that is indeed a shallow thing to believe. If you play the game of life to win, and win at any cost you will always be looking for opportunities to take advantage. You look for what you need in people, use them then cast them away, I was wrong to admire such a shameful statement. Life is indeed a game, an game that needs players. Imagine you're the quarterback of your favorite NFL team. On every offensive play, you take the snap from the center and drop to one knee.

Playing it safe would certainly prevent turnovers, but your team wouldn't gain a yard. The grueling hours spent training, studying game film, and practicing plays would be wasted.

In football--and in real life--players need to take risks.

"Open up the offense--mix in some long pass patterns, running plays, and screen passes," and On occasion, throw deep.

In "Difference Makers," Glading--founder and executive director of The Saints Prison Ministry, the largest athletic prison ministry in the U.S.--mixes sports-related anecdotes, personal reflection, and encouraging quotations from great men of God to inspire Christ-followers to take risks for God.

He says, "Every Christian must ask the fundamental question: Do I want to live a life that matters, or would I rather coast through my 70 or 80 years on this planet, making as few waves as possible?"

Glading's book equips Christians to become active in personal evangelism as well as in critical social issues. "God doesn't care about your ability; He cares about your availability," Glading says.

Glading practices what he preaches; in 2008, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey. He won the primary and finished second among six challengers in the general election.

Anyone willing to veer from the path of least resistance--to take chances--will discover that the rewards outweigh the risks, but the trick is taking the risk and doing so without using others for your own personal gain.