This is an old olympian/fighting word. The idea behind this word is people meeting together to sharpen each other, so that when the day of olympics/fighting came, they can outperform the other. The word is rooted in the principle that the greatest of all athletes would not have made it that far it it weren't for their friends, enemies, and well... everyone else.
In today's world, we often think that in order to win, we need to destroy our competition. After pondering on the word competere, I realized that this is the easy way to victory, or not a victory at all. To win is to prove that one better than another, but without the other, you cannot be better. If that last sentence was confusing, let me put it this way:
We all strive to be better. The word "better" is a comparative word. You can't be better by destroying your competition. You can only be better by working harder than your opponent. If there is no competition, then you can be mediocre at something and still be considered good at it.
When we destroy our competition, we are deceiving ourselves. Its like being graded on a curve. If you only got 2 questions right out of 100, and you have the highest grade, you can be a winner, but it definitely does not imply that you are smart.
Now, why am I posting about my obsession about the word "compete"? I really don't know. I'm guessing God has been pressing on my heart that I've been just "getting by" lately. I haven't been pressing for excellence. No one gets to the end of their lives and brags about just getting by.
Today is Good Friday, and I'm reminded that Jesus didn't just get by. He went all out. Perhaps, it is time I went all out.
Today is Good Friday, and I'm reminded that Jesus didn't just get by. He went all out. Perhaps, it is time I went all out.
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