Winning and Losing

What is competition all about? Is it as the world see it today, all about winning. There's no 2nd and 3rd, there's only the 1st and if you're not the 1st then forget about everything else. There's no place for 2nd place? Have you start to wonder why God allow competition?

I personally had some experience in this and would like to share my views on this. Recently I went for a drill competition. And well I'm very proud to say we got 3rd! 3rd out of 3 teams. Yes you heard me right. We were 3rd but last none the least. However I am not grieving over the lost but rejoicing cause we knew we gave our best and I think thats what competition is really all about: bringing the best out of very body! Winning is a bonus to encourage and losing should serve as a motivation to improve and try harder.

I read in "Tuesday with Morrie", there was a competition going on and a particular group were chanting something along the lines of "we are number 1" then Morrie in all his wisdom, stood up and shouted over:" whats wrong with being number 2?'. The crowd immediately went silent.

Thats right what's wrong with being number 2? God calls for us to excel, to have the spirit of excellence, not have the spirit of winning. I do know that in the word of God, Paul mentioned, who run the race to lose , but all run to win the crown. Thats not wrong cause the attitude/principle behind what Paul is trying to say is that we should focus on the crown, the prize and press on towards the prize. However in this case, everyone who completes the race gets a prize.

The first shall be last and the last shall be first. Ever wonder why Jesus said this to the disciples? The disciples were all arguing who should be 1st. Naturally who doesn't right? But the Lord wants us not to put so much emphasis on who is 1st and who is last. All should give their best and be the best that each one can be and fully utilized the gifts and talents that each is endowed with instead of struggling for positions. I may not have understood this passage fully yet. But at this current moment, thats what I gather. That the Lord does not want us contenting for positions and focus on winning and being 1st. He wants us focus on bringing our best out through healthy motivation in competition.

So I think its time we get our thinking sorted out and focus on what is important. Not so much of winning but bringing our best out. Thats what competition is really all about.

Lord I pray that you'll get our hearts in the right place and not content within ourselves or with one another for position, power of fame through winning. You allow for competition and comparisons not to bring anyone down but to encourage and to help everyone realize their true potential. Allow us to see that there is nothing wrong with being 2nd or even last as long as we've given our best. Thats whats most important, to use what you have given to us to the fullest potential. Thank you for sharing this with me and I pray that you might change the way I act according to this belief as well. In Jesus name's Amen