Competition

Have you mentally competed with, or challenged, the guidance medical doctors, teachers, or even speed limits have given you? Before my wife Connie graduated to Heaven, she was prescribed one pain med that made her feel really good; so good she decided to cut back 40 percent. The next morning, she woke up in severe pain again. She lost her mental dispute with her doctor’s prescription. The reverse would have been true had she exceeded the prescribed amount.

When it comes to us competing with God’s knowledge about healthy limits on the food we eat, our attitude towards money, or even His design for our sex life, we suffer the consequences when we think we know as much as He does. He supplies what we need for the essentials of life, but each gift comes with its healthy boundaries. Our independent nature tempts us to challenge His boundaries, just like we may be tempted to respond to doctors, teachers, speed limits, or other authorities. We think we know as much as He does; therefore, do whatever we want.

Satan has twisted healthy competition for his own purposes. He morphed its benefit into destructiveness, just as he has done with God’s limitations on sex, pride, or greed. Competition is one of Satan’s critical character flaws. A Bible passage describing Satan’s competition with God by saying, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High (Isaiah 14:14, ESV).

He passed that same character flaw on to Eve by lying to her about the forbidden fruit on a tree in the Garden of Eden, saying, “For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5, ESV). Adam and Eve’s son Cain, when competing with his brother Abel, for God’s approval, became so angry that his offering was not accepted by God that he killed Abel.

My point is a healthy amount of competition makes a task fun. But when competition begins to drive us, it hurts us and bruises family or friends. Competition and comparison are Satan’s most subtle traps we humans fall into.

Competition is a Pandora’s box that releases legions of negative feelings toward others. It leads to feel you need to be known as better than others. We must avoid the creed of comparison or competition. God has designed each person to be as unique as the formation of a snowflake, yet equal in value to Him. Leaning into that truth makes possible the lasting security, fulfillment, and gratification which each of us needs to be healthy.

Although I’ve fallen into Satan’s trap of competition far too many times, I am able to get out of it when I follow Paul’s advice: Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3, NLT2). I wouldn’t dare say that I am as wonderful as these other men who tell you how good they are! Their trouble is that they are only comparing themselves with each other and measuring themselves against their own little ideas. What stupidity! 2 Corinthians 10:12 (TLB) Jesus said, whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave (Matthew 20:27, NLT2).

Choosing to embrace God’s relentless love and dismissing comparisons restrains my insecurities. My greatest value stems from a close connection with the Almighty God, the Lord of Hosts, who created me. Are you letting Him fulfill your need to feel valued and cherished?

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