In and of itself, competition isn’t a bad thing. It keeps us honest. It keeps us focused on excellence. It pushes us to do our best—to win the race.
But what is it costing us to stay in that competitive space, locked in a competitive mindset?
Let’s pause and ask: Why are we here? Why are we doing what we’re doing?
We’re here because God has called us to a specific mission.
Maybe it’s fighting human trafficking. Maybe it’s caring for the homeless. Maybe it’s loving orphans in far-off countries—or simply helping the neighbor right next door. Whatever God has called you to, that’s your mission. That’s His purpose for you.
So why do we, as nonprofit leaders, so often get stuck in competition mode? Why do we look around at what everyone else is doing instead of focusing on the task God has actually entrusted to us?
I’ll never forget sitting in a meeting with a nonprofit leader—a founder and CEO—as he reviewed annual budgets. There were wins to celebrate, no doubt about it. But then came a comment I’ll never forget. He said, “Do I view this as a competition? You bet your ‘blankety-blank’ I do.” I was appalled.
What are we doing? Are we truly doing what God has called us to? What measuring stick are we using? God’s calling, or everyone else’s scorecard?
Here’s what I believe: in God’s kingdom, everything works in opposites. I heard a sermon recently that made this clear. The world says, “seeing is believing.” We’re skeptics. We’re critics. We want proof before we trust. But in God’s kingdom, it’s flipped—believing is seeing. If we believe God’s Word, if we trust His promises, then why on earth are we so worried about the competition?
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that God has already prepared good works for us to do—long before we even knew Him. So let me ask again: who are we really competing against? Other people who are also living out their Ephesians 2:10 purpose? That just sounds silly, doesn’t it?
Instead, let’s shift our focus. Let’s be excellent in all we do. Let’s commit ourselves fully to the unique calling God has placed on our lives. If we believe that’s true, then we’ll see the fruit. We’ll see the reward.
So instead of measuring ourselves against others, let’s celebrate them. Let’s rejoice that God is using each of us in unique ways. It’s time to focus on growing your good.
