But how should we handle it when a believer seems to have gone ahead of us? This is a crucial issue in the body of Christ. It is
one of those things that promotes division and strife among the saints and is as old as the Church itself. The early church had its fair share of this problem as is clearly evident in their letters (1 Corinthians 3:3-7; 2 Corinthians 10; 3John 9-10). Jesus, Himself faced this issue among His disciples and He rebuked them several times when they jostled for positions
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in His mission. In all instances, He clearly illustrated that rather than privilege the believer’s race was premised on
service (Matthew 20:26-28). Any believer that claims
leadership or seniority must be the one that is in fact the least. He/she must be a servant of others. Consequently, if a believer seeks to be ahead of others He/she should be one that is willing to serve all the others. In this regard, it becomes difficult for one to be envious or offended by ones success. It is indeed a tall order for one to be offended when being served. Similarly, as believers we should seek to serve even those offended by us and those ahead of us.
It is important that we realize that serving those ahead of us is indeed the highway God has provided for us to reach where they are. So rather than take offense, we should be delighted to be of service. We ought to remember that Elisha served Elijah and so qualified for the double portion of his masters anointing (2 Kings 2:1-14). Similarly, David served Saul before assuming the throne of Israel (1 Samuel 16:21). And Jesus fulfilled all righteousness when He was baptized by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13). In the principles of God, the way up is the way down
.
This rivalry among believers is indeed an old issue, probably as old as the church itself. Its genesis can be found in the early encounter when both Cain and Abel brought their respective offerings before the Lord and He received one (Abel’s) and rejected the other (Cain’s). Cain was envious of his brother and killed him (Genesis 4:4-8). Before he did, God warned him and instructed him on what to do in the face of his setback. While He rebuked him for being envious,
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God told him if he had done the right thing his offering would have been accepted, and then warned him of the temptation that had come as a result of his envy. In this account, God clearly shows the prize for doing the right thing and the cost of having the wrong attitude in the face of a setback. He also reveals that we need not see it as competition when we find ourselves in the same activity or struggle with a believer. Instead we should endeavor to please a just God. If we do what is right, His ground is fair and He will reward each one according to his deeds (Ephesians 6:8). Similarly, when an aggrieved Job cried foul to God, he was reminded that God is fair in all His ways and inerrant in His judgment (Job 8:3-6). The Lord Himself rebuked him, citing that he owed no one anything (Job 41:11).
It is also important that apart from the wrong attitude, Cain also shows us what not to do when we find ourselves lagging behind a believer. He demonstrates the price we should not pay: We are not to be envious or even hateful. And we are certainly warned that if we are we open ourselves to stronger temptations like murder. It is indeed instructive that later on the Apostle John warns against hatred comparing it with murder (1 John 3:15). Unfortunately, this is where many in the body of Christ are today. I believe we need to return to the winning ways of the Lord founded in love. To be sure, there can never be anything like a believer being ahead or even against you. In fact, when Jesus’ disciples sought to restrain a gentleman from ministering in the name of the Master, He rebuked them. As far as He was concerned, the gentleman was
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fulfilling the divine will of the Father and therefore a welcome partner in accomplishing the mission (Mark 9:38- 41). Believers should not compete as much as they should compliment and support one another as we all seek to glorify God. As such, all believers have the same goal – that is to
glorify God – and to be against a believer is to fight that goal.
Fortunately, Jesus actually premised the identity of those who belong to Him on a cardinal principle that thoroughly eliminates competition – that we love one another (John 15:12). Winning in love is the surest way to total victory. In this regard, we all must assume the same attitude that Paul had thinking only of those things that are noble, right,
pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praise worthy (Philippians
4:8). If we can forget those things that lie behind us and focus not on those against us or even for us, but on those things which lie ahead, then we will surely win our crown (Philippians 3:13). No price is too high for victory if the attitude is right. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8).