On Being Kind While Being Competitive 1

“You can be competitive and still be kind.” I don’t know what inspired it, but a friend uploaded this on her WhatsApp status, and like other times, an unsettling signal was sent to my brain, ran through my body, came right back to my face, and anyone who saw me at that moment would ask “why do you look worried?”

I know it’s not a new thing or a big deal for some people. It’s not the first time I have personally come across the ‘school of thought’. It’s been said in this manner: “being competitive is good”, and “there’s nothing wrong in being competitive.” And what gives me the shocker all. the. time is that these statements are uttered by believers. (Disclaimer: This is not to conclude on your convictions as a believer in our Lord Jesus Christ, this article is just laying bare the thoughts on my mind regarding the topic.)

Now, to give it a fair context, they always refer to ‘competition’ in the place of work, at school, or anywhere they sense a reward and a ‘survival of the fittest’ situation. LOL, just like a jungle filled with animals: Predators and Prey. But in this case, who is the predator? Who is the prey? Is the competition between the predators? Nonsense talk, the competition has to be between the predator and prey (Okay, this… is a big digression, let’s get back to why we’re here).

Back to why we’re here. If you know me, you’d know that my conversations with people can end up looking like an interrogation (this is just my sincere inquisitive nature that means you no harm.) From your one statement, I can ask about 5 questions or more. That’s why when I saw (“You can be competitive and still be kind”) this statement, I asked these questions:

• What’s the end goal of being competitive?
• Why the need to reassure people that they can be kind while being competitive?
• Who are you competing against?
• What are you competing for?
• Does competition really end at work?
• If you’re truly diligent, excellent, responsible, and faithful at what you do at work or anywhere, do you need to compete to be rewarded?
• If you truly believe in giving value in all you do, do you need to compete to get compensation?
• Is competition the only road to being rewarded?
• Was Jesus competitive while being kind and vice versa?
• Can being kind coexist with being competitive?
• If you see someone doing better than you, must it be an avenue to start competing with the person to get better? Or you can choose to see it as a motivation to do better.

You may want to redefine the meaning of competition to defend why competition is good for you, but, here’s what the Oxford dictionary has to say:

Okay, okay, okay. From these Oxford dictionary definitions, I’m seeing words that aren’t laced with kindness. Rivalry? Opposition? Defeat? Superiority? ContenTION? And the big word E.N.E.M.Y. — this has to be the devil because he’s the enemy. Right? C’mon! I thought we all agreed that he’s the only enemy we have.

We all also agree with Philippians 2:3 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

So, why are we defeating and opposing anyone? Why do we want to be superior to another when we’ve been instructed to prefer the other person above ourselves?

Look, I know, I’ve also not gotten to that place where I willingly prefer everyone above myself. But, I know that I’m meant to do that. And that’s why I shouldn’t compete.

Sigh

You know what, let’s continue this conversation some other time.

Bye!