Me Vs. Who?

I was in my early twenties when I finally figured out just how competitive I am. In fact, until that point, I actually believed I wasn’t so concerned with winning. The truth is, since I’d been working with youth and children in ministry for several years, I either stood off to the side and served as the “official” during games, or I was just so much older that I naturally could play and win the games against younger kids.

However, when my wife and I started dating, we began spending time with her family, and we played games. This opened my eyes to just how much I hate losing. I would find myself getting very frustrated, and would actually dread being with her family, because I was afraid if I didn’t play well, my true colors would come out, and they would kick me to the curb!

With my eyes opened to this new revelation about myself, I had to learn how to chill out, play the best I could, and just enjoy the fellowship and the time spent with other people. I couldn’t compare how well I was doing at a game I had just begun to play against people who had been playing for years and understood some of the finer nuances of the game. Of course they were “better” than me. Experience will do that. I haven’t lost the competitive nature of my personality, I’ve just learned to control myself a little bit better, and understand how to look at a bigger picture now, and base my results on a different scale instead of always winning. Sure, sometimes I win, but now, I enjoy myself a whole lot more regardless of the final score.

Have you ever noticed how we tend to carry this competitive nature into our lives beyond games? I know--we live in a world DRIVEN by competition. Who will be the best at this, win the most medals for that, who will make the most money, get the most votes, be listed in a particular magazine’s “power list,” and grab the highest honor in some particular category for some significant body of voters.

I have seen competition rear it’s ugly head in the lives of Christians. Not the healthy kind like who can stuff the most marshmallows in their cheeks and still say “chubby bunny,” or which gender can bring the most pennies to give to missions. Rather, what I see is a competition of comparisons that seems to be scraping the bottom of a barrel. Working in ministry, I hear comments all the time about “well, at least I’m not doing…,” or “I’m so glad I’m not like him…,” or “It could be worse, I could be…”

We’ve all heard those comments. I’d venture a gamble that most of us have even said those things ourselves. It’s just competition with a different twist. Instead of always trying to be first or best, many Christians do what they can to point out how they are not the worst. As long as we know someone else who is a “worse” Christian than us, we still feel like we’re doing okay, and that our “God card” is still safe.

Then there’s the other type of competition with ourselves between our good and bad. It’s like we keep a running tally in our heads: Okay, today I’ve lusted, lied, stolen, slandered, been jealous, and disrespectful. BUT, I’ve also complimented someone, shared my lunch, talked to that loser that no one really likes, let that blue car cut in front of me in traffic, gave 16% on my tip at dinner, and smiled politely at the lady in the store. Oops...it’s all tied up, I need to do something good--here, I’ll hold the door for this elderly gentleman. Whew! I’m in the black on good deeds verses sins.

The truth is, scripture tells us that we should be comparing ourselves only to Christ. All of that stuff that we believe is better than someone else? “...all our righteous acts are like filthy rags...” (Isaiah 64:6) Keeping up with all of our good stuff to make sure we’re okay? “...As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.’” (Romans 3:10-12)

Yeah, good luck with that! Here’s a better idea. Instead of wasting our time on worldly standards of good, better, and best, let’s just do what we can to live a life that looks like Christ. The Apostle Paul knew the tendency to want to compare to other people, but He pointed people a different direction: “...Be imitators of God.” (Ephesians 5:1), and for those that still watch people, be the right kind of example: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ…” (1 Corinthians 11:1)

I challenge those that claim to be followers of Christ to stop the comparisons, unless you’re willing to compare yourself to Jesus Christ. But, if you do that, be prepared to fall short--because we all will. The good news is that with the Grace extended to us through Jesus, we can continue to move forward. Paul makes better use of this idea of competition than we do in today’s world: “...Run in such a way to get the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24) Our prize is a relationship with Christ in this world, and in eternity. The only competition that could hold us back is ourself, and our unwillingness to surrender to Jesus Christ.

As we see other believers, let us encourage them to do their personal best--not compared to anything or anyone else, but in regards to their level of commitment. As followers of Christ, we already have the victory, but we must finish the race. The attitude we carry as we run can determine how many people we bring along for the race with us, and can enjoy the fellowship of the race as we await the finish line.