Survivor or an Overcomer

My youngest daughter complemented me the other day. A mother can only be so blessed. She was asked to describe me to a new friend and she chose the word overcomer. I had thought of myself as a survivor; survivor of divorce, survivor of a still-born baby girl, survivor of a house-fire, a survivor of rejection etc. etc. We all have our lists. After receiving such a complement I was taken back and found myself at a loss for words. I did say "thank you", but not much else.

When I returned home from our visit, I decided to meditate on this word and here is what I discovered. Webster's dictionary defines a survivor as one who still exists in spite of some unfortunate circumstance. The picture that comes to my mind is someone who grits their teeth and just bears something to get through it. They survive the thing, but that is all. You've heard of the saying "survived by the skin of their teeth". Well, that is what they meant. They survived the thing, but that alone was their victory. You might think, and what's wrong with that! Nothing.

Webster defines an overcomer as someone who masters, prevails over, surmounts something. This makes me think of someone like Lance Armstrong who overcame cancer to win the Tour DeFrance! Or someone who overcame poverty to become a doctor, or overcame a serious injury to become an athelete. Individuals who are known as overcomers seem to be those people who don't let negative circumstances sour their attitude toward life. When kicked in the gut or knocked to the floor by circumstances, they dust themselves off, get back up, and keep on pressing on toward their goals. My dear daughter gave me a complement that I may not deserve, because many times I survive by the skin of my teeth without much else. I am grateful to have such a daughter who looks up to me and sees only the best in her Mom. I am also grateful to her for causing me to obtain a clearer understanding of the difference between survivors and overcomers. I want to be an overcomer! If not for myself, definately for her!