Friendly Competition

In high school football, it was my job to block for the runner or the passer. If at all possible, I wanted to hit my opponent so hard that it knocked him off his feet. Of course, he was trying just as hard to keep me from doing that!

I tried to summon up my meanest emotions, which was wildly out of character for a shy, easy-going guy like me. I had to picture myself blasting my opponent so hard he'd be breathless, and beg his coach to take him out of the game.

After the game, the players on both teams would smile, shake hands, and go home. Friendly competition.

If I had been more mature back then, I would have understood that Christians don't have to set aside their loving nature to compete. "Love your neighbor as yourself" still applies. You focus on yourself, doing your best to use your God-given abilities to the fullest, as an offering to God.

With that attitude, I suppose I could have even saluted my opponent when he (rarely!) knocked me flat on my back. "Job well done." Would the coach have understood?