Not a Competition

Christianity is not a competition. However, this truth stands in opposition to the mob mentality that rules our world today. We are told to conform and get in line. We are looked down upon when we disagree with the majority, and we are belittled for doing things differently. Creativity has paid the price in our culture, and so has individuality. This sad trend is evidence of Satan’s attack on God’s design. God did not create us to be uniform. He did not create us to fit into the mold of someone else’s design. Scripture tells us that we are intentionally unique. In the book of Ephesians, we read that God gave us each different callings within His church. In Chapter 4, verse 11, Paul writes, “It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” This echoes his teachings in 1 Corinthians 12:12 – 31. This scripture talks about how we are all different parts of one body. We are reminded in verses 18-19, “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” It’s time we stop competing within the Body of Christ. It’s time we stop declaring certain areas of ministry or certain ways of ministering to be less important than others. If all of us did the same thing, in the same way, many people would fall between the cracks. Instead of squashing the individuality of our brothers and sisters, let us leave the mob behind and embrace uniqueness within the church of God. Only when we shine as the distinctive individual God created us to be will, we truly begin to work as one united body. Christianity is about collaboration not competition. Let’s begin to embrace our differences. (Written by Keegan Harkins.)