I’m as competitive as it gets.
It’s hard to let my four-year-old win.
I’m still ticked about the Detroit Tigers ALCS loss.
And I usually find myself creatively making up games for me and my friends to play. (At least ones that I know I can win!)
This competitive streak becomes a problem in the scope of following Jesus and leading communities of people with the hope of bringing heaven to earth. If you are like me you can quickly find yourself comparing and contrasting with every ministry, every event, every leader, and every movement that is even remotely comparable to you and your own leadership style and strategy.
It is this type of unhealthy comparison and competition that becomes Satan’s strong strategy that turns our direct attention to what we are creating, what we are building, and who we are instead of what God is doing, where God is moving and who He is.
The strategy and solution to battle Satan is simple: Be a cheerleader. (Even if you have to fake it until you make it!). There is a direct correlation between your ability to affirm, support, encourage, and promote other’s leadership and their work, and your ability to stay focused on “The Kingdom” instead of “your kingdom”. The more you affirm others, the more your bitterness towards what others are doing will decrease. The less you affirm and focus on others, the more you will be fixated on what you are doing (which by the way is silly, small, and trite in comparison to Who God is and how God is moving in the world).
Throughout the next few days- Stay tuned in as I highlight some of the most incredible leaders around the West as I do my best to fight against a “my kingdom” mentality.
In the meantime
1) Spend the first 5 minutes of each meeting encouraging and affirming those around the table
2) Publically affirm one male today. (Public affirmation is one of the best things you can do for a dude’s confidence)
3) Next time you can defer a leadership decisions to someone else…do it, and then make sure the people who wanted the decision made know that you are deferring because you believe in those you are deferring to.
Good luck you competitive freak!
