God Honoring Competition

Now that school is back in session, things could turn a little purple, orange, red or blue around here.

 

Why?

 

Because the 2013 NCAA football season has kicked off, that is why.

 

I am a spirited Kansas State University fan and my fellow WG contributors, Jen Ferguson and Jenifer Metzger, are devoted Texas and KU fans. If you know anything about college football, you see what I mean now. It may get ugly around here…

 

 

Yes I totally photo shopped myself into this beautiful picture of Jen and Jenifer. They allowed me to do so all in the name of fun 🙂

 

I am writing all of this, of course, with a smile on my face. Even though I joke around with the two Jens behind the WG scene about the Big 12 Conference and their teams (KSU is way better), I still respect and love my friends and sisters in Christ. It does not matter whom they cheer for. It does not matter if their team beats my beloved Wildcats. I desire to love them in a way that honors God.

 

(Here is where my face turns more serious looking)

 

Competition is a part of life. There is a way to handle competition in a way that honors God. There is a way to handle competition in a way that offends Him.

 

As your daughter takes to the track, field, stage, or court this year, how will you conduct yourself if your daughter loses or does not make the team?

 

To answer this, first consider what God honoring competition is not. God honoring competition does not:

 

• harm others emotionally or physically

 

• create an idol or sin in our life

 

• seek to glorify self instead of God

 

 

image courtesy of Chrisroll/freedigitalphotos.net

 

 

A father pulls a gun on his son’s coach because he feels his son did not get enough playing time. Parents from opposing little league teams brawl it out on the sidelines as their children watch in horror. A mother entertains envy and anger in her heart when her daughter does not win or make the team. Are these parents honoring God with their behavior?

 

As a mother, I need to remember “it” is just a game, recital, or cheer competition. Winning should ultimately bring glory to God’s reputation and not to our reputation. I forget this when I lose my cool externally and internally. I forget this when my words hurt those around me emotionally. I forget when my thoughts turn vengeful, and my stomach is tied in knots.

 

And I forget when I idolize my daughter’s talent-obsessing over a recording contract or WNBA contract when she is only 8 or 15. I am not saying it is wrong to have dreams for my daughter, but am I:

 

• pushing my daughter past her willingness, or comfort level to participate, causing conflict?

 

• pressuring my daughter to achieve an un-fulfilled dream of my own ?

 

If my answer is “yes” to one or both of these questions, then I need to let go.

 

I need to give my competitive heart to God for some soul healing and some daughter freeing.

 

Fellow mom, I know you love your daughter. You sincerely want the best for her. It is normal to feel sad or disappointed when your daughter loses, especially when you know how hard your daughter has worked towards something.

 

However, we cannot allow competition to cause us to idolize, obsess, envy, or to become verbally or physically abusive. We cannot allow competition to control or consume us, for our daughter ultimately belongs to God. 

 

Please join me back here tomorrow, fellow fan of your daughter. I promise not to leave you stranded on the bleachers. During the second half of this post we will look at what godly competition is, so stay tuned!