No matter what culture or background we hail from, people of all ages love sports. As kids, we would compete in everything from who could run, clean, or even eat a popsicle the fastest…brain freeze and all! We even competed for attention and affection. Whether it was who could jump from the highest step on the staircase, who sold the most candy bars, or who scored the best grades in school, we all wanted to be better than someone else.
Good, healthy competition is what makes capitalism work. While athletes compete for the victors’ crown, Americans spend billions of dollars on all kinds of sports tickets, equipment, and sportswear just to be identified with the winning team. It cheapens the thrill of victory when every kid is given a trophy even if he finished in last place and didn’t discipline or apply himself. Everyone is a winner when they succeed in doing their best.
I Corinthians 9:25 (NKJV)
“Everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things.”
Practical Application and Assignments:
A competitive spirit is one of the greatest motivations for learning, improving, and mastering a difficult feat.
- Participate in competitions that offer incentive to develop your skills. Contests showcase your talents, expertise in salesmanship, scholastic proficiency, management of conduct, and level of competence.
- Remember, true success is not only measured by the numbers on the score board. Whether you are the “football running back” racing down the field to make a touchdown, or huddled around the TV awaiting the final score, keep the game in perspective. Passionate competition creates winners, but obsessive rivalry can become unbalanced.
- Don’t worry about those who are always striving to beat your record. Set your mark high and be the best you, you can be.
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14
