Competing for Last Place

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.

C.S. Lewis

Have you ever felt as if someone else was competing with your every move? Competing with what you do, what you say, wear or purchase. Some will go to extremes to compete even with what you post on social media, what version i-phone or Apple watch you own even how many followers you have.

These type of things seems to be a motivating propeller for some; always needing to be a step ahead of people around them. It does matter what you say or do, they always seem to have a better story, a better experience, a better income or position at work. These are the one-up’s.

We live in a time now where people are starving for first place. Hungry for the spot light and center stage. It seems to me that people have a natural desire to being first in even the most insignificant things. You may not even be aware, but they are on your heels nonetheless. A natural competitiveness seems to drive the desire to be the main attraction.

Somehow this level of competitiveness can be done subconsciously. Have you ever wanted to cut in line just to arrive first? I am almost sure you have never been cut off by an aggressive driver just to arrive at a red light seconds before you and surprisingly meet again. A natural egotistical self seems to jostle this kind of behavior and we may not even be aware of it.

Allow me to clarify, there is absolutely nothing wrong with healthy competition; but I need to know that I am competing. I am very competitive when it comes to sports or recreational activities.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be the best at what we do. This is actually encouraged, but I am referring to a different type of competition. The type that only destroys our emotions when we find out that we have been competing in a race all alone. The type that crushes spirits when it is realized that the outcome of who comes out in front is irrelevant.

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

Matthew 16:25

Competing for last place is something a professional athlete never competed for. However, competing for last place is something we should do in our daily lifestyle. Serving others.

Competing for first place is what the disciples argued about when Jesus spoke about the Kingdom. Often they would argue and compete to see who would be in the best position. Jesus would realign their mentality and remind them that whoever believed they were first would actually be last and the last would be first.

When was the last time you put yourself in last place, laid down your pride and put someone before yourself?

Our human logic would provide us with selfish instincts. God’s logic works opposite to ours. The Apostle Paul considered more as a loss because his value was in knowing Jesus. We are competing in a race that does not recognize the first to finish. Christ followers compete for last place.

We do not compete for center stage, we compete for the humble serving positions to meet other’s needs.

Are you well ahead of the pack in first place, or are you currently in last fighting to remain in the last place?

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have discarded lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.

Philippians 3:8