There’s this story of a Kenyan runner, who was just a few feet from the finish line, but became confused with the signage and stopped, thinking he had completed the race. A Spanish runner was right behind him, and, realizing what was happening, started shouting at the Kenyan to continue running. He didn’t know Spanish and didn’t understand.
Realizing what was taking place, the Spanish pushed the Kenyan to victory. A journalist asked the Spanish, “Why did you do that?” He replied, “My dream is that someday we can have a kind of community life where we push and help each other to win.” The journalist insisted; “But why did you let the Kenyan win?” He replied, “I didn’t let him win. He was going to win. The race was his.”
Friend, always remember this; we rise by raising others. The hand that suppresses is always down why the hand that lifts is always up (Galatians 6:7-9). If you desire progress in your life, help another person to make progress. Perhaps this is what the brothers of Joseph failed to realize. They were threatened by the dream of Joseph rather than helping him to achieve it (Genesis 37:8).
Who is that person that you are willing to make great (Philippians 2:5-11)? We are in a world where everyone wants to be the first and the best. But there’s something more than those. It is helping others to be their best. This is why it takes a different mentality to want to be a kingmaker than to want to be the king (1 Samuel 16:1-11).
There are people who should be kingmakers who are jostling for the position of kingship. There are those who should be mentors who are tormentors. They envy and compete with the people they should support. Until you realise that your success is tied to the success of another person, you would not stop the rat race. Would you rather be a Mordecai or an Esther (Esther 2:5-11, 4:14)?
Like the athletes in our story, are you ready to lose so that someone else could win? In the long run, you would not eventually lose (Matthew 16:25, John 12:24). Like John, where must you decrease so another can increase (John 3:30)? Who’s that person that you are willing to go down for him or her to go up? This is what Christianity is about. Jesus went down for us to go up, and we must do likewise for others (1 John 3:16).
Beware of the crabs’ mentality. I learnt that when you put some crabs in a container, you don’t need to cover the container. None of the crabs would escape. The crabs are known for pulling each other down when they attempt to go up and escape. Some people can be described as having PhD (pull him down) in life. They are known for pulling people down (Nehemiah 6:1-3). They blackmail, backbite, backstab, etc. No wonder they are always at the back! We rise by raising others. Never forget this!
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria