Perceptions #38

"COMPETITIVE PRESSURES"

by Penney Nichols

I have a friend who described his law school experiences in this way. "My friends and I would sit around in our room trying to figure out who in our class had worse grades than we did. As long as we could find two or three, then we would not worry because at least we were better than they were. As long as there was someone with worse grades, we had our ticket out of law school." The grade curve automatically would let my friend pass.

Law school is not the only place where competition takes place to see if we can beat the curve -- to see if there is someone worse than we are. We play this game at church.

"Why do I need to be a Christian? I am as good as he is," has been heard much too often. However, it is not just the unbeliever who voices this attitude. Christians fall prey to this competitive temptation. As long as there is someone who attends less than we do we are safe. As long as we have not committed the sins they have committed, we are off the hook. We are not as bad as they are! They are just new Christians and just don't understand yet," becomes a reason to ignore another's viewpoint. After all we have superior knowledge to theirs. The gamesmanship of being one up on someone is all too real.

God speaks to trying to beat the curve. "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged" (Matthew 7:1). "Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls" (Romans 14:4). "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God" (1 Corinthians 4:5).

Instead of competitiveness, instead of trying to beat the curve, let us obey the call of the Holy Spirit. "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith, test yourselves" (2 Corinthians 13:5).

top of page    previous article    Perceptions Index