Cooperative Competitor

Some Christians today consider competition sinful and others pursue competition as if it had no connection to their walk with God. Sundays are for showing Christ like regard for others; the rest of the week is for claw scratching your way to the top. One of the fundamental faults is we think that our best interests are in conflict with our competitors. So, instead of improving our products and services and disseminating useful knowledge, we spread false publicity about our competitors or exaggerate the features of our products or services. Competition need not annul cooperation.

There was a farmer who grew award winning corn each year. His strategy was simple: the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbours. ‘How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbours when they are entering their corn in competition with yours each year?’ a reporter asked him. The farmer answered, ‘The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbours grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbours grow good corn.’

Cooperation is at the root of genuine success and excellence. We can still compete while cooperating with each other. When we share ideas and knowledge, then the people we are serving will benefit from our improved products and services. GB Shaw said that when you exchange an apple with another person, both will have only one apple each. But if both exchange one idea, then they will have two ideas each. This is why cooperation and the desire to encourage others to succeed are at the very heart of God’s will for our worklife.

We can only be a cooperative competitor. We cannot shy away from helping a colleague, teaching our subordinates or even sharing ideas within the limits of business ethics. Paul, in his admiration of the Greek Olympics, exhorts us to run in order to win and not to just participate (I Cor 9:24). To encourage and enable others to grow is to grow ourselves. We can be competition-driven, yet have a clear conscience before God. We run hard, but with Christ, so that through our work we worship Him.

Lord, grant me the grace to compete with cooperation. Amen