“So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” - Romans 14:19 NASB

From my earliest memories, I have always been a super competitive person.

As a little kid, most mornings before school were spent watching sports highlights rather than cartoons. Most afternoons consisted of a quick dinner and then off to a practice or a game followed by lifting weights before bed.

Baseball was my favorite sport, and I wanted to be the absolute best.

As Americans, we just have competition in our nature. It’s part of our national identity. A lot of innovation and excellence has flowed from those roots. A lot of good has resulted from individuals and industry competing against each other to be the best.

I believe as children, competition is a great thing to be experienced. It’s where we often learn the values of hard work and the great feeling that comes when you realize all the hours of effort were worth it.

What if being competitive is actually working against us though? I have been wondering lately if our competitive spirit might be behind our lack of unity as Christians. As Christians and churches, there always seems to be this posture of wanting to be the best. That in and of itself is not bad, but it almost always is coupled with the putting down of another person or church.

On social media these days I see a lot of Christian posts, but mixed in with the encouraging words and quotes of Scripture are posts knocking others for differences in theological beliefs, worship music styles, denominational affiliation, and Bible translation.

When is putting someone down or trying to intentionally offend them ever going to build them up and bring about peace? If there is something that the Holy Spirit is prompting you to bring to someone’s attention, do it privately, gently, and in love with the goal of both of you growing closer to Christ!

We have to continually be asking ourselves in our churches as well if our focus is on growing God’s Kingdom or on growing the local church. The question should never be if a particular joint effort will help our church but if it will help the Kingdom. Our competitive nature sometimes makes that seem counterintuitive, but it’s so important.

We are called to be one body with many parts seeking to work peaceably and in unity building up one another.

Let us pray earnestly for one another. Let us serve one another with a humble spirit. Let us celebrate with each other as we see God work in our lives, in our churches and in our communities!

People’s EC Church is located at 216 Wagner St., Lehighton.