Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Is It Really a Contest?

I am in competition with no one. I have no desire to play the game of being better than anyone. I'm simply trying to be better than the person I was yesterday.


The only time I can recall ever being truly angry with my brother was over a game. An argument had arisen over interpretation of the rules and he was as angry with me, I believe, as I was with him.

An incident from our childhood? Sadly, no. We were both full-growed boys and the competition (involving several of our friends) was fierce.

I may have mentioned before that my siblings, though loving and supportive in every way, were every bit as competitive as I was; indomitable in defeat, insufferable in victory.

The incident with Rodney caused me to take a step back and look into my heart. Did I really need to win so badly, was my self-worth so dependent on my having my way, that I would sacrifice this precious relationship to achieve my desire?

No.

In this political season, I found this past week's Sunday School lesson apt. Screwtape instructed Wormwood to direct the patient toward a "party" church.

Did this church, I asked the class, then have streamers, balloons and funny hats?

Obviously not. Obviously the demons had something else in mind.

I forgave my brother and he forgave me, as brothers do.

Hey, where's my funny hat?

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