Scorekeeping is part of most games, whether card games (cribbage points or poker values), table games (Scrabble points or Monopoly money), or sports (football touchdowns, soccer goals).

One of the first pieces of information a person looks for when they turn on a football game that has already started is . . . . the score. Walk into a room where a game is in progress, and people are watching, and one of the questions you will probably ask is — “What’s the score?” or “Who’s ahead?”

Now, some games are played without an actual scoreboard. If you have ever played a pickup game of basketball, or “tag” football the day after Thanksgiving, you probably had nothing close to a scoreboard. It was simple enough to keep in your head. Most everyone knew who was ahead. Those who were winning knew that they were ahead, and those who were behind realized they needed to up their game.

However, some don’t want a scoreboard — at least at a point in time. The team is losing — and losing bad! They can’t wait for the clock to run out to end the suffering of their monumental loss. It’s a BLOWOUT — or maybe a SHUTOUT. 1

Sometimes, in life and living, people don’t want to “Play with a Scoreboard.” They don’t want to know how they are doing.

• They would rather not step onto the scale when going in for a medical checkup.
• They are slipshod when keeping track of what they spent on ___?____ this year.
• Some don’t want an official year-end report of how much (or little) they contributed to this or that charity.
• They don’t want to keep score of the money they lost by betting on __?__, or investing in __?__.
• Some don’t want to think about, or be reminded about how much time they spent playing video games.

As we come into a new year, why not keep score?

“The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.” (Proverbs 13:4).

Typically, when people plan and work to win, they keep score. The diligent are those who plan, work, and keep score of their progress. When the game matters and/or the competitive spirit is alive and well, someone is keeping score.2

In 2024 . . . . .

Define “a win” and diligently aim at that “score,” a specific number! Be diligent. “Diligent” people keep score.

Designate an area of life and living that you want “a win.”

Decide To Play With A “Scoreboard.”

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1 – In 2016, Missouri defeated Delaware State, 79-0, and Michigan defeated Rutgers, 78-0.

In 1916, Georgia Tech defeated Cumberland University, 222-0. John Heisman (after whom the Heisman trophy was named) was Georgia’s head coach, and it was a revenge game. — https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/88317/222-0-worst-blowout-college-football-history

2 – That is true not only with people but with organizations, businesses, and even churches. Some do not want to keep a close score on how they are doing because they know they are losing ground.