Competition is a Spirit

We were recently at a powerful conference hosted by CECO--Christians Equipping Christians for Outreach. Several topics stood out at the conference. First that we each have a God given assignment--I'm going to deal with that topic in another blog--because while we may each have a God given assignment make no mistake, each assignment is not good. I know that sounds outrageous, but it is the truth--think of Judas.

The topic that I want to discuss at length--may take a couple of blogs--is the notion that Christian people in Christian churches strive to compete with each other. Our Presiding Prelate cast the spirit of competition away from our fellowship, and yes it is a spirit. Competition to me is a natural phenomena--a stressor that drives humans to do more and to try harder--some people thrive from competition. Darwin might call it a survival necessity. However, there is no place for competition in the Church. The reason can be explained through Matthew chapter 20 which lays out the story of how the Kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a vineyard who hired several individuals to work for him at the beginning of the day for a penny. Those individuals worked hard all day. As the day drew to an end the owner noted that there were not enough laborers to complete the work so he hired more workers at the same rate of a penny. The workers who had been hired at the beginning of the day became jealous and started complaining saying, "How can you pay these who have been hired at the end of the day the same amount of us when we've been working all day? We should get more!" The owner answered, "It is evil to think the way you do. I own the vineyard and it's none of your business what I do, and why are you upset because I'm a good person? I will pay the last person exactly what you agreed to!"

There are people who feel in their hearts that this scenario is unfair. They may never say it because they are not honest. The fact of the matter is simply this, God's promises, judgement and salvation are not ranked by our assessment of what we think is fair. He created us. He made us who we are. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. It is His good pleasure to bless us and that should be enough.

Competition arises when we lose focus on who we are to please. Without argument all would say out of our mouths that we are to please God and would think in our own hearts that we do what we do to please Him, but there is a tale tale sign that your labor is in vain and that sign is the spirit of competition. Competition is a feeling that arises in you when you see someone else doing what you think you should do or you know how to do. Why weren't you chosen? After all everyone knows you do it and you are good at it. It is also the feeling that no one else can do anything so you purposefully leave people out and you try to do what you were not called to do. But what we fail to understand is that we cannot substitute our will for God's. This is why the scripture says obedience is better than sacrifice. There are people who would rather sacrifice then to allow others to do something in the Church. Competition comes from trying to please people not striving to please God. Think about it from the lives of two kings--Saul and David. We know these stories well.

King Saul was chosen by the people because of his stature and his appearance. He was popular and people liked him. He had an allure and charisma. He drew people in. Saul had it all. He had women, riches, popularity and favor, but Saul's fatal flaw was himself. His looked the part of the chosen. He sounded like the chosen. He "acted" like he was chosen, but one day his heart found him out. God gave Saul a command to utterly destroy the Amalekites. But Saul strayed from God's will and took up his own. He wasn't working to please God, but to please people and his own selfish desires. When confronted Saul lied about it and tried to blame others.

King David was chosen of God. He was short and young. He looked like he should be outside. He wasn't popular as a matter of fact when Samuel came to anoint the next king David wasn't even included in the line-up. He was alienated. He had been squeezed out. But the last shall be first and the first shall be last. David was God's choice and David wanted so much to please God. He was a man after God's own heart. He sought God for every decision and he admitted and repented when he was in error. He led a life that was pleasing to God because he put God first. As a result David who didn't have the charisma, wasn't popular and didn't have women and riches, gained all of that because when you seek the Kingdom of God first He adds richly to your life.

Eventually Saul was rejected by God and as a result he became jealous of David. He may not have even really known why he was jealous of David. Saul's focus was still off. Instead of turning to God, asking for forgiveness and pledging to do God's will, Saul lived out the remainder of his life in competition with a kid who would have given his very life. David adored Saul. He admired him. Saul's son became David's best friend. David married one of Saul's daughters. David played music to sooth Saul. David fought in Saul's army yet Saul hated David and wanted to kill him more and more. Isn't it interesting how instead of doing God's will we simply want to eliminate those who are doing God's will as if that would cause God to turn back to us? It won't! The only thing that will please God is obedience. The Bible says of God, "If you love me keep my commandments." We please God through focusing on Him and doing His will the way that He wants it done, when He wants it done and how He wants it done.

When you have people in the church who simply can't stand you it is most likely because of the spirit of competition. When you have people who can't seem to get over whatever it is that makes them hate you so, chances are there dwells the spirit of competition. This is why our Bishop rebuked this spirit and cast it out from among us. We are all needed in the body of Christ. No one is better or more desired or more depended on. These are weak human emotions that we devise to boost our own egos.

What good is it to think ill of someone? How does that help us be productive in the Kingdom? What good is it to get caught talking crazy about folks? How does that help save souls? Does it really feel that good to reject our Christian brothers and sisters? Is it that good to leave others out when we cook or have a gathering? Is it really necessary to talk sweet to folks in front of your Pastor and First Lady, and then snub them when those individuals are not around? Here's something for free, your Pastor and First Lady may not see what you are doing, but they have no heaven or hell to put you in or keep you from. God sees all and when we are judged our whole lives will be compelled of us as we stand before the throne. We will not be able to hide mistreating others and getting pleasure from it. Is it really going to further God's purpose for us as a whole to leave our co-laborers out of planned activities?

Competition brings these behaviors on. We have to mature. There's no rule that you have to like everyone that you work with. Yet there is a rule that you must love. Love causes you to put away competition and to choose God's will over the good feeling that you get by squeezing others out. The reward is the penny. You may have gotten there first and have worked hard all day, but because God chose me I'm going to get the same reward.