Competition or cooperation?

Sometimes we have strong competitive feelings.  That is the norm when we talk about sports and one team playing another.  In recent years we have taken that competition to greater heights where we vilify the other team and spend days and weeks identifying their weaknesses in the field of play and unfortunately in their life too.  We try to find any edge to help them play poorly so our team can win.  If we can make them feel too small, too week or too ill prepared, or barring all that if we can just make them lose their focus during the game then we can give them the impression that we are better or bigger than we are. 

That is despicable when it happens in sports but it has grown way beyond sports to life in general.  Anytime someone feels competition with another the field now includes jibes about their personal life. 

I remember when I was a child and this sort of thing was happening back then.  The last resort for a child to say in the school yard when nothing else could be said to gain an edge was "Your mommy wears Army boots!"  That always struck me as funny, even when I was a kid.  Nowadays there are plenty of mother's in the military and they do indeed where Army boots. 


In the video entitled "Same Jersey" we learn about two competitive boys who are quarterbacks on opposite teams.  They both want to win the game but simply by their team doing their best.  They have a very close relationship.  Watch it and be inspired. 

I was visiting a Branch of the church on an Army base a few weeks ago.  This branch was specifically for students in the military who are prohibited from leaving the base because they are at the beginning of their service and haven't earned that freedom yet.  Most of them came dressed in their military camouflage fatigues.  They were all on the same team and they treated each other with respect.  The ladies and the men were dressed the same and both treated respectfully.  

Although I was dressed in a suit I was on their team as well.  The outside appearance may have been different but our loyalties were the same. 

When I used to coach city league girl's basketball a few years ago, sometimes the girls would express that they wished players on the other team would play poorly or be sick for a game so that we could more easily win.  I taught them however that the key was for us to play our best.  And, that we wanted the other team to play their best so that when we beat them then we could say we really had done something meaningful.  The goal wasn't a win, but rather that we did our best.   

So when we sit at church and look around the congregation are we able to recognize that we are on the same team and not trying to out do, out dress, out cool each other.  When we make comments in Sunday School are we able to enjoy and grow from the comments of others or are we busy trying to figure out what we can say that is better than the other guy.  Can we remove competition from church and from the home and maybe find that while we are moving it out that we need to move it right on out of our life?  Can we recognize that all of the people around us are our brothers and sisters, and we can help, can love, can encourage, can support their best efforts instead of trying to outdo them?  Let's not compete with others and instead help all, including ourselves to be the best we each can be.

cooperation

cooperation

cooperation

cooperation