We like winning. Despite the relatively recent increase in participation trophies and Nickelodeon exhortations to “try your best and forget the rest,” we are still obsessed with winning. It seems that contrary to the boast of a recent politician we’ll never get tired of it. Why? Many derive great value and even identity in being a “winner.” Maybe winning doesn’t appeal to some, but being the best or best looking does. Rapper, Nelly, captured it well: “What does it take to be number one? Two isn’t a winner and three nobody remembers.”
The Problem
The problem with this is it can induce anxiety, jealousy and discontentment in our hearts. It also flies in the face of Scripture. Paul in Philippians 2 says, “consider others better than yourselves.” Given our love of being the best, combined with the power of positive thinking that has trained us to only speak highly of ourselves, this command seems impossible. So how do we clear a path through the overgrowth of our infatuation with being the best to the joyous and content place of considering others better than ourselves?
Escaping the Zero-Sum Game
First, we must realize that most of life is not a zero-sum game, where there is a limited number of resources and if we don’t have the most, we lose. Athletic and superlative contests are zero-sum games. It doesn’t matter how well you do, as long as the other team/person is better you lose. That’s fine for certain contests, but it’s a problem when that mentality creeps into the rest of our life. Suddenly, we think life is a pie and if someone else gets 80% then we’re stuck with the losing 20%. The truth is, God made us to use the gifts he gave us to the best of our ability. He isn’t displeased if someone is more gifted than us, nor is our blessing and giftedness a waste if someone else is more fruitful.
Michael Jordan famously won six NBA championships and he wasn’t modest about his role in winning those titles. When a friend remarked, “You know Michael, there’s no ‘I’ in team,” Jordan replied, “You’re right, but there’s an ‘I’ in win.” That response is clever but it isn’t true. Though Jordan had a prominent role in those championships he still was backed by a great coach, organization and team. Though his teammates were role players compared to Jordan they still made vital and valuable contributions to secure those titles. We are given certain gifts to use to build up others and the church. Peter says in 1 Peter 4:10, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” We should use our gifts to bless our clients, organization and others regardless of how others might do the same. We can (and should!) consider others better than ourselves without diminishing our fervency in seeking to bless others. Our efforts might be small in comparison to others’ but they are still vital in God’s plan to bless those around us.
A Big If
Second, we must realize where our true identity lies. Notice before Paul tells Christians to consider others better than themselves he directs them to what will enable them to do that. In Philippians 2:1 he says, “If there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy…” That is a big if. This statement makes clear that the power to consider others better than ourselves lies not just in escaping the zero-sum game, but in being comforted by God’s unconditional love through the power of the Spirit.
Conclusion
All off us like to win or be the best. If we can’t do that we like to be at least associated with winners and the best. When our favorite team wins we say, “We won!” as if we had something to do with it. We also take it personally when our team loses. The good news is that even if our abilities are the equivalent of The Bad News Bears, we can be united by faith to the greatest victor in the history of the world. Jesus has defeated death and the principalities of this world through his death and resurrection. He’s paid for the sins of all who trust in him and covered them in his perfect righteousness. When the Father says to Christ “This is my son; with him I am well pleased,” Christians hear him saying that to them because of Christ!
We were in a battle with sin and death and we were losing. Thankfully, Christ won on our behalf and now resting in his love, rejoicing in his triumph, we get to praise him for all eternity.
Mike McGregor
Mike McGregor (MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary) is Director of College Ministry at First Baptist Church in Durham, N.C. You can follow him on Twitter at @m5mcgregor.
