Tokyo - Sumo Tournament by Ethan Prater

I am an extremely competitive person. It may be one of my least becoming qualities, really.

I’m writing while flying home from a client meeting where I spent time with two people from an ad agency that would love to steal away the work my company does for our mutual client. I have a hard time being in their company. It’s not a fun place to be, particularly when everything inside me wants to lash out and scream. It brings out the worst in me, really. I get self-conscious. I feel inferior. I feel inadequate.

Blech.

As I prepared for the trip, I wanted to, but fought the urge to, buy new clothes. They would not have covered my insecurities. While at dinner with them and several others, I also the fought the urge to build my confidence by drinking wine. That wouldn’t help either. Rather, I tried to focus on my strengths: strong relationships with client. A track record of good results and responsive service. A trust in the history that we established long before the ad agency appeared on the scene. I focused on who I am rather than who or what I am not. I am intelligent, well-versed, an effective facilitator and trainer, a skilled writer and PR professional.

As I prepared to interact with my competitors face-to-face, I thought about what the Bible has to say about how to treat people – our enemies. We are to love them. We are to live in harmony with them. We are to pray for them. I read over those verses. And I felt totally convicted, and then strangely filled with peace.

It seems that God is giving me plenty of opportunities to stretch my ability to love and accept even those who are my competitors – whether they represent an ad agency or a racetrack developer. The shallow truth is, I want to control every situation and have things easy. Life for me and those around me would be a lot easier without competitors. But then, how would God mold my character?

Question: How have you seen God molding your character? (Please tell me I’m not alone in my insecurities and pettiness. Wow, bet you really want to leave a comment now.)