Courage to Compete

The team captains were chosen for the playground pick-up game. Quickly, some kids like Mick raised their hands and started shouting, “Pick me! Pick me!”  Other kids like Crystal shifted to the back of the crowd and tried to stay out of sight. What’s the difference between the “Micks” who seek out competition, and the “Crystals” who try to avoid it? Honestly, the differences are varied and as unique as each child. Today let’s consider some underlying principles that make competition, and a kid’s willingness to participate, a healthy endeavor. 
 
Competition, whether on the sports field or in the classroom, can foster self-confidence, team spirit, healthy physical development, and positive definitions of winning and losing. Competition can also lead to discouragement and insecurity. How do we encourage a positive perspective in this area? Several Biblical principles come to mind:

1. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training (1 Cor 9:25). Few children excel in any sport without a commitment to practice. What happens in the game is important, but we should be equally interested in what happens during practice. It is in training that a child develops a sense of competency, “I can hit the ball.” “I can walk on the balance beam.” “I can make the shot.” Our level of courage can be directly linked to our sense of ability, and that often starts with a parent who, during practice, affirms, “Yes, you can do this!”
2. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).   For some, the reluctance to compete is not only the fear of failure, but also the potential loss of friendship. Competitive events provoke people to frustration or anger, especially if they are not playing up to a certain standard. Rather than internalizing those feelings, some emote their frustrations on their opponents, creating an appearance of hostility. In order to cultivate a healthy competitive spirit, you must reinforce that at the end of the game, the relationship is still intact. A hand shake, a “good game”, or a simple fist bump can go along way toward affirming that the competition furthered a friendship, and didn’t put it in jeopardy. 

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ (1Cor 11:1). No other advice can go so far to promote a healthy view of competition than the example you set for your children. How do you respond when you lose a game of Uno? When your kid beats you silly on any and every Wii game? What comes out of your mouth when you don’t perform up to your own standards? As they see you win and lose, succeed and fail, hit and miss, your children learn the courage to try, and how to act when the game is over.