November 10th-12th we will be hosting our annual Fine Arts & Athletic Competition. Unlike many neighborhood little leagues, we will actually keep score. Someone will win and someone will lose. Yes, our judges will have the courage to declare a winner in each contest in spite of the fact that some would undoubtedly warn that we might do irreversible damage to the self esteem of the participants.
The Bible has quite a bit to say about competition, and there are many spiritual lessons taken from the world of sports. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain” (I Corinthians 9:24). Everyone enters the race, but only one crosses the finish line first. Only one receives the prize for finishing first. The prize does not go to the person who finishes last. Why? Because it takes effort, discipline, training and sheer will power to finish first. Finishing first is what the competition is all about. Those who enter the race know that one person will receive the prize. It would not make sense to give a trophy to every participant. If you were going to do that, why run the race?
Why do we run the race? Paul says, “So run, that ye may obtain.” You run the race hoping to win the prize. Everyone loves to win. We love to win even more when there is a prize. The greater the prize, the more exciting it is to win. The stronger the opponent, the more honorable it is to win.
Is competition healthy, or is it just an overblown ego trip? Is it simply self-serving in nature or is there some benefit? I believe there are many benefits from competition. Here are a few for your consideration.
- Competition challenges young people to try good things that they may never have tried otherwise. In many cases students uncover skills that they never knew they had, and sometimes they find a way that they can do something for the Lord simply because they entered a competition.
- Competition demands our best efforts. It is definitely healthy to learn to do our best, but more importantly the Bible commands us to do our best. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Many of the young people who come to the Fine Arts Competition each year have been practicing every day for months for the events they plan to enter. Teamwork, respect for others, school spirit, and many other benefits result from competition.They are motivated to practice so diligently because they know that other young people have been practicing as well. They know that the competition will be intense and that they must be prepared.
- Competition allows us to see first hand what can be done if you really put your mind to it. Every year I see young people who come to the competition for the first time, and they are amazed to see what is accomplished by the other contestants who have worked harder and longer in preparing for the event. After seeing what these other young people are able to do they can get a vision of how they might be able to accomplish more.
- Competition encourages balance. The fact that we offer so many different categories helps the sponsors encourage their students to branch out into areas that they may not have felt comfortable with before. Some young people have a tendency to gravitate to only one area and spend all of their time developing that area. This way a student who is only interested in sports can add music or photography to his life. Even if he does not win first place in his event it allows him to experience some things he would not otherwise experience and as a result, he is a more balanced person.
- Competition helps the participants respond to training and receive instruction. All of us have a difficult time listening at some point in life. I have seen young people who would not listen to a coach or a teacher make a complete turn around as a result of competition. It seems that they are thinking, If you can help me win next year, I will do whatever you say. This openness to instruction can spill over into other areas of their lives as well.
Teamwork, respect for others, school spirit, and many other benefits result from competition as well. I am thankful that I was able to participate in similar competitions as a young person, and I would definitely have to say that those events helped to shape my life. If you would like more information about this year’s Fine Arts & Athletic Competition, please contact Leann Manley at lmanley@gsbc.org.
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