Competition
I sometimes don’t like competition, but it seems to be everywhere in our world. I dialed back the amount of sporting events I watch until I could get my heart right. I’m not one of these die-hard fans who die my skin the color of my favorite team. Those who know me well, know that I’m a Kentucky Wildcat basketball fan. I have heard that Kentucky has a football team as well! I have recently learned to watch a game with less stress.
I do believe that competition can make us better. There is a line, when crossed, where competition starts being destructive. When one opponent tries to destroy the other, then competition might have gone too far. I think we should compete with love – try to “out love” one another. I think we should compete with kindness – do more than is expected. I have started competing with myself instead of others. It makes me stronger and better.
Jacob married sisters and one was able to have children and the one he loved most wasn’t able to get pregnant right away. The tension was building over the years as the older sister had her fourth child and Rachel, the younger sister still could not have children. Check this out…
1When Rachel saw that she wasn’t having any children for Jacob, she became jealous of her sister. She pleaded with Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”
2 Then Jacob became furious with Rachel. “Am I God?” he asked. “He’s the one who has kept you from having children!”
22 Then God remembered Rachel’s plight and answered her prayers by enabling her to have children. 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. “God has removed my disgrace,” she said. 24 And she named him Joseph, for she said, “May the Lord add yet another son to my family.”(Genesis 30:1-2, 22-24 NLT)
The Lord is clearly in charge of who is having children and how many. He has always been in charge. I don’t understand how some couples can’t have children and others seem to reproduce just thinking about it. I am still learning every day to trust the Lord with the details of everything. My heart breaks for Rachel in this passage, but the Lord has a plan. Rachel’s first-born son ends of saving his entire family from famine a few years later.
As I face today, it appears that I have constant competition in the real estate business. I want to compete against myself. I want to be the best REALTOR/Friend to my clients that I can be. I don’t want to get distracted by what others are doing or not doing. I want to improve the level of service to each person who reaches out to me for help. I’m competing against myself. I need to speak important things to the man in the mirror that I shave with each morning. I need him to step up his game!
I’m reminded of Paul’s encouragement and challenge to the Corinth Church about how we are in a race. Check this out….
24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.(1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NLT)
This race/competition that I’m in is real. I have the Presence of God to help me run like the wind. I can take my life to a whole new level with Him directing my steps and giving me counsel each step of the way. His Presence is me has not only changed the way I run, it’s give me perspective about where I’m at in the race of life.
Pressing On!
Dwayne