The journey of a thousand miles they say, begins with a single step. A step with which one draws nearer to their set goals and also to their death. This journey through the sands of time called life is the greatest journey everyone will have to make regardless of the circumstances that will come by.
Mysteries of love, issues of hatred, name it, and yes of course competition. Just as athletes in a race line up before the start cue, so is our human life as we see the light of day for the very first time, thus at birth, but as the race commences, our lives take a different turn. Competition sets in and we lose our focus.
As we progress in age and enter school, senior high and the university, the habit of comparing has unfortunately taken the hearts of many young people. Meddling in other people’s affairs, finding who had the highest mark, most expensive outfits, and flashy cars, prettiest and handsome people on campus and basically comparing everything else they see.
If you really ponder about it, this whole competition game is inane. We often time look down upon each other all because our friends, mates and colleagues are swimming in a pool of success which we aren’t, we therefore feel depressed and lowered forgetting that life isn’t a race or a competitive market where everyone is striving to gain monopoly. There is no completion in life. The only contender is within us by building instincts and a way to overcome is to see each passing day auspiciously and as a blessing.
The funny thing about competition is that, however good someone is, there’ll always be someone better than them, and it is but a never ending cycle which ultimately leads its prey to destruction. The best solution is to Step out of this cycle by seeing yourself as the only contender, you’re the best if you aren’t competing with anyone. 1 Timothy 6:6 says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain”. The key word here is “contentment”.1 Corinthians 9:24 also says “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it”. This means being focused on your race not others’.
Take what God has given you and be proud of it as well and who you are, this is the surest way of overcoming and standing out of the brouhaha that has been aroused by competition.
May this year be promising, favorable, bright, dazzling, felicitous, encouraging and above all uncompetitive for you.
