The Burden Is Light Sample

The Burden of Competition

If we were to write the Gospels today, they would probably go like this: “Jesus was born of a virgin (a great start), and as a teenager, he was passionate about his Father’s house. He started his ministry with a prophetic declaration about the kingdom of God, fulfilling truth in a new and spectacular way. He then called disciples, gathered momentum, confronted hypocrisy, healed the sick, raised the dead, and challenged Herod. Then he voluntarily died to become the savior of the world. He rose again in victory, proving to every­ one that he was alive, then ascended into heaven. Right before he arrived, the heavens opened and the Father announced, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’ The angels stood to their feet, the disciples raised their hands in victory, and all of heaven rejoiced.” 

For generations we have been trying to earn our Father’s applause by following this script. But of course, that’s not how Jesus’s life was at all. 

Instead, the Gospels show Jesus spending almost thirty years in relative obscurity. At Jesus’s baptism, his Father declared, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Jesus hadn’t done anything public or seemingly important yet, so what could the Father have been pleased with? Relationship. Jesus spent thirty years abiding in his Father’s love, and that was enough. What pleased the Father was not Jesus’s accomplishments but his intimacy.

Because Jesus was aware of his Father’s approval before starting his ministry, he didn’t have to compete with others during his ministry. The Father’s approval gave Jesus the security to scandalously give his life away in love. 

We see a beautiful picture of this in John’s gospel, where we read of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. Jesus’s compassion flowed from his relationship with the Father. Understanding that all things were under his power enabled him to serve without reservation.

The same is true for us. We are coheirs with Jesus, we have eternal life, and Christ has given us his righteousness. Because we have that security, we are free to pour ourselves out for others. The world tells us that we have to perform and win. The gospel frees us from competing with others and provides the foundation we need to love without condition.

How might a sense of competition keep you from loving others well?