Care for your competitors. Love your enemies.  

Who are you trying to beat?

Focusing on beating the competition holds you back because you are aiming at an imperfect target. 

Aiming at doing the very best  — with all you have —  changes the world and helps others thrive. 

Give people more than what you owe them. Give people more than they deserve in life and work. 

The current reality is that we treat our work life like a high school athlete playing sports. We want the rules to be fair and we want to beat our competition. 

We are so much more than high school or even professional athletes! We can go so much further! 

‍Just Do It! 

We find a great case study for taking the main focus off of the competition, ironically in the athletic apparel industry. 

Nike was established on the mission “Crush Adidas.” In the late 1980’s, Nike changed their mission to empowering and enabling the athlete in all of us. “Just Do It” became one of the most iconic taglines in history and for the next decade their market share catapulted from 18% to an incredible 43%.  

The Infinite Game 

Too many people and organizations work toward the wrong finish line. There is no real macro finish line for business or non profits on this earth. We make up too many faux finish lines to motivate ourselves and all we end up doing is limiting ourselves and the potential of our organizations. 

Simon Sinek wrote The Infinite Game to help inspire leaders and organizations to focus on a long-term mindset, prioritizing trust and purpose over short-term metrics. Simon says -

• "Infinite-minded players expect surprises, even revel in them, and are prepared to be transformed by them."
• "An infinite mindset embraces abundance whereas a finite mindset operates with a scarcity mentality."
• "Finite players play to beat the people around them. Infinite players play to be better than themselves.”

‍To ask, “What’s best for me” is finite thinking. To ask, “What’s best for us” is infinite thinking.”- Simon Sinek

The Eternal Life Way 

Simon says, “care for the competition — you have worthy rivals.” Jesus says, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:44[.no-reftag] 

Followers of Jesus have a distinct advantage in the way to work that lasts forever. Jesus taught in a time when Israel was facing much injustice from the Romans — their enemies. 

Like us — they wanted fairness, but they also really wanted to conquer their enemies and be on top of the world economically, politically, and militarily. Jesus was constantly teaching them that they had the wrong finish line in mind. 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. - [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:38-41[.no-reftag]

Jesus is teaching a radically different way to live and work. He is teaching that there is only One Hope for them and for the world. 

This is shocking teaching, but we must understand that Jesus is not promoting injustice. He is showing us a better way than standing up for ourselves other than  “I am going to get you back,” or “you owe me” or “you’ve really got it coming to you now.”  He is teaching us to care deeply for those who insult us verbally or physically, even when they ask for something ridiculous. 

The following clip from the Chosen series, artfully demonstrates what Jesus means.

Why does Jesus comply with undeserved suffering from those He could obliterate in an instant with one command?  

Putting up with unjust suffering is actually the reason He came to earth — to live, teach, suffer, die brutally, and be raised — to pay for our sins. This teaching is perfectly aligned with His character and His life. 

Jesus teaches to give people more than what you owe them. He is saying to all of His followers, “I want you to give people more than what you owe them and better than they deserve because this is what I have done for you.” 

“Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”  -[.no-reftag]Matthew 5:42[.no-reftag] 

The key to understanding this radical love is not to ask “do they deserve ____?” But instead, “do they need ____?” There are many times where we should not give or lend because it could enable the person to hurt themselves further.

We should discern the real need and then freely give to help them. 

What if they don’t ask for help? 

In the well known parable of the Good Samaritan, a man is injured and left for dead  “religious” people passed by him, but the man who was their cultural and religious enemy stopped to help the man in need — giving of his own resources. (Luke 10:25-37)

Jesus says, “Go and do likewise.” -[.no-reftag]Luke 10:37[.no-reftag]‍

Love Your Enemies 

Jesus keeps going to define radical love. 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” -[.no-reftag]Matthew 5:43-48[.no-reftag] 

We can love our enemies because while we were still enemies of God (Romans 5:10), God sent Jesus to rescue us — to make a way and to define love for us (John 15:13). The love of Jesus creates an infinite  — eternal — perfect relationship between God and us and allows us to offer love to others the way we have been loved.  Tim Keller 

Here are some practical ways to love those who are against us.

• Pray for them - Ask God to change your heart. 

• Value them - Realize everyone has the same eternal potential as you do. 

• Be with them - Check on them. Give your most precious resources – time.

• Help them - See their needs and act to assist with your resources and gifts. 

Stop considering the cost. Instead consider the need and the potential of each person.‍

Be Perfect? 

How are we supposed to be perfect? Isn’t perfectionism in work a life sucker? 

Only Jesus is perfect. Jesus is with us in every moment offering us an opportunity to follow Him — to lead and love His Way. 

Aiming to be like Jesus, especially when you realize He offers you the ability to do it —  His peace, purpose, and power (John 20: 19-21) —  is life giving.

Let’s trust Jesus to help us be more like Jesus. 

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‍Resources 

Sermon: Love Your Enemies | Tim Keller

Video: Receive Your Blessing - Accept Your Call | Howard Graham

Video: The Advantage of Slow Anger | Howard Graham 

Book: The Infinite Game | Simon Sinek

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