Celebrating when someone else wins!

 

I have always been a super competitive person. It is not a great character trait. If my team is losing, I am more likely to shut the game off than to watch the humiliation. I hope I am not the only one who does that! There are certain sports rivalries that I just can't see myself celebrating when those rivals win. Purdue in any sport, Boston Red Sox, the New England Patriots, are all on the "dark" side (LOL) and I just can't cheer for them when they win. 

Sports rivalries are fun, but they can really get out of control. Our relationships with people should NEVER get even close to that level of rivalry. I have seen sibling rivalries get way out of control. When one child perceives their sibling getting more than the other, it can get ugly real quick. Competition within relationships can lead to disaster. God, does not have favorites!

"Then Peter replied, "I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right." (Acts 10:34-35)

Today I was thinking about Haman in the Book of Esther. He lived in a world where he only thought of himself. His goal in life was to win... at all costs. He did not care who he trampled or who was left in his wake. There was no way he could celebrate someone else's victory. 

"Haman was a happy man as he left the banquet! But when he say Mordecai sitting at the palace gate, not standing or trembling nervously before him, Haman became furious. However, he restrained himself and went on home. Then Haman gathered together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, and boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children. He bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials." (Esther 5:9-11)

He was winning. He had a powerful position in the royal court and still he was worried about one Jewish man not bowing low enough before him. He wanted complete victory and he couldn't let anyone else win. 

Fun competition, fun rivalries can be good. But it is easy to get wrapped up in the rivalries that they grow into hatefull and sinful attitudes towards others. I strongly believe rivalries and competition can make us better. Anything that helps us strive toward doing our best and working hard, can't be all bad. Don't be like Haman. He was only happy if everyone else recognized his greatness. One of the best things we can do to dampen our rivalries is to celebrate when our opponents win. Celebrate when someone else gets the promotion, someone else gets the victory. Don't always fall into the pit of "US vs THEM." It may sound trite to say it, but we are all God's creation and he loves us dearly, win, lose, or draw! We need to follow that example. Loving your neighbor has no conditions!

"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another." (Galatians 5:24-26)