The Reason there is Competition in the World

The Reason there is Competition in the World.

Why is there competition everywhere? Why is there strife and envy? Why is there war and hatred? Are all human beings created for the same purpose or are we lacking in a particular knowledge? For if there are warring’s and striving among us, definitely there will not be much progress. As one keeps advancing in his or her course or chosen carrier or field of endeavour given him or her by God; they often experience certain mountains such as jealousy, envy, malice, backbiting, etc.

When you look around in many sectors; there are disagreement and disunity but “two cannot walk together except they be agreed” (Amos 3:3). Notice that, it is only when we agree as touching any matter that God causes such to be established. Go to groups on platforms such as Whatsapp, Facebook, etc. Most people start these groups for the purpose of unity, togetherness, oneness, but what is obtainable is the direct opposite of what is expected. A member of the group would post an article possibly expecting sincere replies or feedback from group members but to no avail rather, everybody keeps posting their own thing without considering the purpose for which the group was created. These go on and on to the extent that it becomes hard for many members of the group to follow up on discussions to its logical conclusion: the result is that genuine members of the group exit the group. Everybody seeks to be applauded; they look for perfunctory praises from other group members but would never praise anyone. It’s all for personal glory as well as for competition purposes.  There is no continuity, but only strivings.

In schools; amongst students and amongst teachers, this is also been experienced. A particular teacher wanting to be labelled the best teacher; a student wanting to be labelled the best student and thus, these (Teachers and Students so to speak) blackmail, backbite, sycophantically and hypocritically do things in the flesh so as to be noticed. There is jealousy everywhere, you did something and you were appreciated and others start saying negative things about you instead of thanking God for such an achievement. They quickly forget that it is for the overall good and wellbeing of the school that you did it. They forget that it is for the same reason and purpose (to help the school achieve its goals and objectives) that you are initiating these projects. How people forget that it is what they sow that they will reap. You are sowing discord and jealousy but you think God will allow you to have peace and rest of mind. How you lie.

The same thing happens in churches as well; politics has entered the church unfortunately. We begin to see things that ought not to be happening in the church walls actually being perpetuated. Once someone is not close to the overseer or senior pastor; he or she cannot be given any role or responsibility in the church even when they know that such a person is endowed with the gifting from God to edify His body. Murmurings, backbiting, envying, jealousy are the things that beset us every day but God will help us in this generation by His power.

 What about nations, country against country over who will be called the world power.  The whole world is in turmoil, in an uproar; perplexity and anguish of soul has being lied on innocent people who are usually the victims when these cards are played. Countless number of people have died and continues to die daily because of COVID-19. Sources have it that it is a tussle for world power and economic domination that has resulted to the shutting down of the world economy. Maybe, you didn’t lose a love one, but for many, I can feel the agony and salient cries amid tears that gush out daily from their eyes hoping and waiting for consolation. 

But who can console these if not God; the trauma is much, devastating effects are enormous when you contemplate the gravity of the challenges these families are going through as a result of what they know nothing about. I cannot forget when I saw a very wealthy man; they told me, he was a Mexican billionaire. This man couldn’t bear the weight of the loss of his family (wife and child) to COVID-19 and resulted to suicide. He let himself fall freely from one of his sky scrapers and even though, the police was informed and they took surveillance of the vicinity; they could not save the man because, he jumped from a sky scraper that the police didn’t expect. Money couldn’t save him; neither could it save other countries of the world as a result of a tussle for world domination. I pray that God help us not to destroy ourselves because of our selfish aggrandizement and ambitions (competitions) in Jesus Name.

 In the Bible, we saw Prophets and Servants of God playing their part and functioning in their unique roles: the roles God called them to fulfil. Like Noah (building the ark), Joseph (delivering the Israelites from famine thus preserving their posterity), Moses (delivering the Israelites from the oppression of Egypt), Daniel (advancing the course for which the Israelites became freed from the land of Babylon and also, making God to be hallowed in Babylon), John the Baptist (preparing the way of the Lord), and even the ultimate example, Jesus Christ the son of the living God (Saving humanity from their sins). Are all Moses, Are all Joseph, Are all Daniel, etc. Why try to be Joseph when God made you to be Moses? Why try to rebel and ask the Master (your maker) why He made you Joseph, when you are supposed to be Moses?  Can the thing formed say to him that formed it, why did you make me thus? (Romans 9:20).  Has he not power over the lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour? (Romans 9:21). In the Bible, it says, “Don’t fret for nothing but in everything with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your request known unto God and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding shall keep your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7). Do you believe that God is enough for you and that He is able to turn you to whatever He wants or created you to be? Saint! He can turn around the fortunes of your life as He has been doing since the time immemorial; turning a slave (Joseph) into the second in command over the entire nation of Egypt, who was a stranger (an alien) in the land; He turned David from a shepherd of sheep to the shepherd of princes and nobles; He made the dry bones to come back to live again.

Oh! what a blessed truth to know that God can do anything, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, hopes and wishes. Hallelujah! He turned the situation of Israel overnight from famine and starvation to abundance such that he that doubted saw the over abundance of wheat and barley but was trampled underfoot by men and thus, didn’t partake of the abundance as prophesied by the prophet. May you not be found on the dark side of life in Jesus Name. What is yours is yours; we can see this demonstrated each and everywhere in the bible. Indeed, consistency is a jewel. Joseph, when he told his dream of his brothers bowing down to him, what happened? They became offended and sold him as a slave instead. Oh! The depth of the riches of both the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgements and his path past finding out (Romans 11:33). God made it that; it was by selling him (Joseph) as a slave that he will become that which God had ordained for him to be. Indeed, all works together for good to them that love God, who are the called according to his purpose and plan (Romans 8:28) and all things means (good and bad things together). Hallelujah!

David, no matter the persecution he received from Saul, still became King. In short, it was when David was persecuted that he resulted to the caves of Adullam and valiant fighters and those who were aggrieved, discontented, etc. came to him as the spirit of God moved them and a formidable army was formed. These men were described as “men whose faces were like the faces of lions and were as swift as the roes upon the mountain (1 Chronicles 12:8).”

What of the ultimate example Jesus Christ of Nazareth who when the princes of this world thought that they could extinguish him forever on the face of the earth by killing him but what happened? They only got him freed. The devil himself regretted that “if he had known, he would not have crucified the Lord of glory (2 Corinthians 2:8)”. What is your problem now? Are you also taken by these competitive tendencies, trying to be what you are not? Why not repent from such matters and allow God to help you function in that unique place where He has called you. The bible says, “As thou knows not how bones are formed in the womb of she that is with child so, knows thou not the way of God (Ecclesiastes 11:5). Thus, seek to know the purpose for life today and live it out. This is the only way, competition, jealousy, envy, hatred, etc., can be thrust out of your life forever. Oh! What a beauty it is when you find your purpose for living.

 For some people, their purpose was just to pray for the coming of the Messiah and they were faithful to this course, people like Simeon and Prophetess Anna the widow. Simeon had been told that he will not die until he has seen the consolation of Israel (the Messiah). What have you been told? No wonder, he longed to see this plan and purpose of God come to manifestation. If you are not told anything by God; you are visionless and thus, you have room for competition, to envy, to backbit but it was not so for Simeon and when he saw this come to pass, he said, “Now, let thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen the salvation (consolation), which thou hast prepared before the face of all Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).  What a glorious end!

 Apostle Paul was shown in a vision his mission. That is why a persecutor of Christians became the persecuted Christian and thus, earned the title as the “greatest Christian” writing two-third of the New Testament. My brother, my sister, it does not matter when you came into the sheep fold (the Kingdom), what matters is whether you are following and pursuing that course and purpose for which God called you or created you. And when you are in God’s purpose; you don’t run as others run (that is, you don’t compete) but “you keep under  your body and bring it under subjection: lest by any means when you have preached to others, thou thyself be a cast away (1 Corinthians 9:27).” No wonder when Paul was through with his earthly ministry given him by God, he said “I am between two opinions whether to be with you or to go to the Lord. At some point, he said, “for me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).” What could take Paul away from his course?  He says, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7).” I began to wonder how this man knew that he had done what God called him to do. For people like Paul, even in his conduct, he showed that he was called for a reason. He said, “I have been called an Apostle unto the gentiles, to open their eyes and to bring them out of darkness into light, from the power of Satan unto God and that they should receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance that is in Christ (Acts 26:18) and because of this, he didn’t run as though he was beating the wind or chasing shadows but ran for an incorruptible crown; He knew that all run in a race but only one receives the crown. All start together but one ends strongly. 

Something struck me which I want to share.  When a race starts, don’t you see people who take off like a tornado but as soon as the race becomes tough; suddenly, tiredness or weariness of the flesh comes upon them? They fall by the way side and someone else comes and takes over the crown (sometimes the person who was behind becomes the winner and receives the crown so, it does not really matter when you started, you can still win the price if you don’t quit). So, this is letting us know that it is better you start running at your pace and increase as you move along. Don’t start what you cannot finish. A Child’s stages of growth is first; sitting, then crawling, then standing, then walking, then running. However, when you see a child from birth who didn’t sit, or stand or crawl then, he or she starts running then know that it is an ensign that the world is about to come to an end because, God has not changed. He is still given to process that is why, He will not jump any step. Look at Moses’s birth, the people of Israel were oppressed and God had to send a deliverer but He didn’t just allow Moses (the deliverer) from birth to become a matured man, Moses had to go through this process for 40 years before the course was advanced in the his life and the life of the Israelites.

 Look at Jesus, the Messiah, and the ultimate example. He was given birth to at a time the Jews needed deliverance but still had to follow the normal stages of growth in life (process) until he was 30 years of age before he started his ministry. Don’t neglect the stages of your growth, the years of your maturing, you will need to be thoroughly furnished before God commits resources (anything of value) into your hands because, God is not a resource waster. Hallelujah! God looks at the heart. Look at the scenario in 1 Samuel 16:6-13, when David was anointed King of Israel. His elder brothers came first, from Eliab to Abinadab, to Shammah and were rejected until David came. Oh! I love God, if anything is yours, you don’t need to rush to do notice me, God is able to advance that course. He picks people from the dunghill and sets them among princes. Let Psalms 2 be your confidence. Amen

Let us like king David, look up to the hills from whence our help come, for our help can only come from the Lord: the maker of the heavens and the earth. Looking unto a man will always fail you. For example, I trained two table tennis boys for a particular competition and while I was training them, the games masters didn’t come there until the last day, just to come and access the boys. I used my money to buy the egg (table tennis ball) for the entire training sessions. These boys went to the competition and came best in both singles and doubles with gold medals and N60,000 cash price. When they came back, the school had 8 gold medals in all with only table tennis having two but they never remembered me. They gave everybody their medals even the teachers who didn’t go but helped in training the boys as I did too but gave me nothing. I went and met the games master for my medal but he said, “he was still waiting for other medals to come.” I waited for the medals he was still expecting to arrive and still nothing came to me but I was told that the games master gave the remaining medals to the principal instead. I went to the Principal to let him know this situation and of course, I saw extra gold medals hanging in his office but he never gave me, he only said, “thank you for informing me”. 

I didn’t kill them; after all, I only wanted the Principal to be aware but was shocked to notice that they were in it together. What happened is a typical example and thank God, the Principal also did nothing about it, who told you man will not fail you? Look at Joseph’s case and the cup bearer in Genesis 40 so, until God chooses to help you or give you something, you will never have it, for a man can receive nothing except it be given him from above (John 3:27). He will ignore you for a while to see if your heart is still stayed on him. Hallelujah! May you be found worthy to be a custodian of God’s purposes in Jesus Name. Amen!