In this Olympic and election year, I’ve been thinking again about the way competition surfaces in every area of our lives. It shows up not only in sports, but in education, business, and science. Media networks compete for ratings, religious groups for our minds and hearts, politicians for our votes, and companies for our money.
In the middle of it all, intelligent people have expressed their admiration and contempt for what the struggle for limited resources does for– and to us.
Businessman and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, won a place in the quote books when he observed, “While the law [of competition] may be sometimes hard for the individual, it is best for the race, because it ensures the survival of the fittest in every department.”
Farmer, writer, and academic, Wendell Berry, however, says, “Rats and roaches live by competition under the laws of supply and demand; it is the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy.”
Nineteenth Century Statesman, Henry Clay said, “Of all human powers operating on the affairs of mankind, none is greater than that of competition. But in the twentieth century Philosopher and author, Bertrand Russell, observed, “Life is nothing but a competition to be the criminal rather than the victim.”
A more positive comment comes from Author, Brooks Clark, who is credited with saying, “Good coaches teach respect for the opposition, love of competition, the value of trying your best, and how to win and lose graciously.”
We’ve had some good and important conversations together lately. We’ve come together around some of the ideas that tend to divide us. So let’s try to work the angles of competition.
What do you think? Can followers of the teacher of Nazareth be fiercely competitive without betraying their faith? Or does a relationship with Christ strip competition out of our lives now and forever?
And what about heaven? Do you think there will be Olympics or elections when the Kingdom of God comes in all of it’s fulfillment to a new earth? Will we use any of the timelessness that is ahead playing board games or thinking about national or international champions?
What’s your story? Has your journey with Christ made you more or less competitive? If any of these questions interest you, I wish you’d weigh in. I’d like to see where this conversation takes us as we move into the weekend.
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