Competition vs. Healthy Pride

Ever get tired of being passed up for that job promotion? Better yet, are you ever tired of seeing others "less worthy" (in our eyes any way) being promoted? Life is UNFAIR! Can I get an amen!?! It may be just me but this idea of feeling "held back", especially in the work place, is something I struggle with fairly often. And then, right when I'm at my weakness, someone always comes to me with the idea of, "Hey, work hard! Do what needs to be done and be better than the rest! Treat it as COMPETITION." Then others put in their 2 cents and say, "Just do your work and tell your boss on how great YOU did. Make yourself look good and if it makes your co-workers look less than successful then it is what it is. IT'S ALL COMPETITION ANYWAYS. YOU GOTTA CLIMB THAT CORPORATE LATTER!!" It all sounds pretty right? That's "fair". But what's the Bible got to say?
2 Corinthians 10:12, "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." We first see that we shouldn't be comparing ourselves to others around us. It's unwise! 2 Timothy 2:3-5, "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully." In this verse, we see that we shouldn't get "entangled" or caught up in this corporate latter mentality or that everone around us is nothing but competition....we should do our best to "strive lawfully" though. So what does that mean, lawfully? Mark 12:30, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." Jesus commands us to love him with everything we have! And when we work, it should show as a testimony for Him. That means in the work place, in church, in our home, etc. A healthy form of pride in our work is necessary to get the job done but it is not necessary to brag or to bring down others. 1 Corinthians 3:3, "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" Are they not called co-workers for a reason (as in co-op or coroperation)? We are supposed to be working TOGETHER to profit the company. If one of your co-workers does a good job you should compliment them. Brag on THEM to the boss not yourself. Proverbs 3:27, "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it." Proverbs 27:2, "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips." Just a thought I had when studying the scriptures!