Are you a competitive person? I have to confess I am very competitive; I’m a very poor loser. You probably wouldn’t want to play Monopoly or Scrabble with me. Now, being competitive can have its positive effects. It causes you to really work hard to win. But it also has very negative effects. I’m examining urges we need to resist, and here is another one:

Resist the urge to try to be better than everyone else—to always win.

We can’t all be good at doing everything, no matter how hard we try. And when we compare ourselves to others out of jealousy or competitiveness, it is a clear indication that something is wrong with our motivation. If I want to do something good or great just to prove I can do it better than anyone else, then it’s obvious I need to confess the sin of envy and pride and ask God to purify my heart.

This has always been a difficult lesson for me to learn, and I must admit it is one I must continually re-learn. There are tons of people who can do things much better than I do them. That’s just a fact of life. Now that doesn’t excuse me for being sloppy or not doing the most with what I have. But it also doesn’t mean what I do is worthless simply because it’s not as good as what someone else does.

I’ve been privileged and gifted by God to teach and admonish people. That’s my gift, and I love it. But it has taken me far too long to get to the place where I can hear other speakers and teachers whose skills and gifts are superior to mine and simply learn from them and thank God for their gifts.

God doesn’t compare you with anyone else. However, he does fully expect you to take what he has given you and improve it. That’s what the parable of the talents is all about. It doesn’t matter what you start with; it matters what you do with what you’ve been given. Paul wrote to young Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God which is in you.” That’s a prayer I often pray—that I will be a good steward of my gifts and opportunities, but the good news is, I don’t have to be better than anyone else. Take it from me—that is an urge to resist.