I love competition. As long as I can remember, I have been a competitive person. I’m not sure if I was born with this drive or if it was bred into me at an early age. My older brother and father are also quite spirited, so I may come by it naturally. When I was in 3rd grade our school began yearly fitness assessments. I cannot remember all the activities involved, but I do remember two of the most popular: the rope climb and the mile run. I failed miserably at both which was life shattering for my young ego. But I learned a few life lessons from these early failures–especially the rope climb.
At that time, the vice principle of my elementary school was a professional body builder. Luckily he wore suits to work rather than his speedo. But he made sure all us boys knew how strong he was. Just before we tested for the rope climb he would take his suit coat off and scale up the rope with the speed and agility of a mountain goat. He did so without using his legs. You could see his biceps budging behind his white button-up. After he ascended to the top he would hang from the rafters with one hand, like a monkey taunting all of us boys to do the same. He set the standard for the rest of us. It was a pretty high bar!
After we saw this display of strength, and picked our jaws off the floor, every boy in my class did what most naïve nine year olds do. We puffed out our chests, flexed our muscles and ran to the front of the line. We believed we could do better. All of us wanted to prove ourselves. We all wanted to beat the bodybuilding vice principle up the rope. But none of us could. In fact we all failed. Some of the boys in the class laughed it off as a fun exercise but not me… I was soooo mad that he beat me! I was quite bitter leaving the gym that day. I’m sure I muttered quite a few choice words under my breath. I wanted to be the one who beat the body builder!
Reflecting back on that event I realize that I had an unrealistic view of myself and my ability. I had set my standards too high from the beginning. Even though I made it up the rope I could not match the speed and power displayed by the one who went before me. No nine-year old could compete with a muscle-bound man in his early thirties. It was an unfair comparison but I was too prideful and delusional to admit it.
The comparison was not the same as the expectation; the competition was all in my mind. I was never expected to beat the body builder, none of us were. We were expected to do our best in order to establish a baseline for improvement. Making it to the top was a bonus not an expectation. Here is the lesson I wish I could tell my 9 year mini-me. No matter how good you are at something, someone out there is better–or will eventually be better–but this fact does not need to make us bitter. Bitterness is oftentimes a self-imposed burden.
Competition can be and is oftentimes a good thing… it pushes us to be better. However, it can lead to an unhealthy mindset especially if we are willing to hurt someone else to get ahead or cause ourselves undue mental anguish. Instead we need to be self aware and appreciate the abilities of others instead of being jealous of what we do not possess. This is a humbling process but gaining humility is well worth the loss of pride. Recognizing the strengths in others and considering others better than us is actually God’s will for lives. Life is not a competition, but it is a bit of a test. Listen to the words of Paul in Philippians 2:3-4.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. – Philippians 2:3-4
Many of us have gotten used to a certain standard of living, and our current budget crunch is causing some of us to see others as competition. The temptation is to stock up, hoard and be the last person standing. But the only winners in a pandemic are those who are accommodating. We have a choice to make… are we going to compete with others or cooperate with others? Are we going to embrace humility or be burdened with pride?
In the past month I have witnessed some selfishness, but I have also been surprised by an increased degree of selflessness, generosity, philanthropy and good will. When we all realize that we are poor, we are more willing to share what little we have. When we think of ourselves as rich we are less willing to let go. Life is not a competition, but it is a test of our character. This crisis has been a great equalizer, and we have a choice whether to become bitter or better because of it.
“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:24-25
