How do you respond when you hear the word competition? For many the mention of competition conjures up thoughts such as enemy, kill, and destroy. The reason for this is that competition is widely viewed as an opponent that potentially disrupts one’s agenda for making money. And, for most of us, making money is the predicate for fulfilling the American Dream.

Worldwide, I have noticed that the American Dream, which is not limited to Americans, is the driving reason most people work. In other words, the purpose of work is to make as much money as fast as possible so we don’t have to work anymore. With money, we can live as we wish—pursuing our own passions. This is called hedonism, which drives people to worship money (a.k.a. mammon worship).

The above Scripture provides insight into how hedonism impacts one’s attitude toward competition. Competition is viewed as the enemy because mammon worship leads us to believe that the purpose of work is to make money to spend on our hedonistic passions.

The text also provides God’s perspective toward people with this attitude. They are spiritual adulterers and God’s enemies. In other words, when one’s motive for work is to make money to spend it on one’s pleasures, then one will view competition with disdain.

You might ask, what’s wrong with making money to spend on my pleasures? The problem is, we humans forget that we are simply stewards of our God-given time, talent, and treasure. As stewards we don’t have the right to spend our earnings as we wish, instead we must learn to steward our earnings as God wishes.

Consequently, the starting point for viewing competition correctly is the right motive; that is, to work as a steward of God’s resources. This means that one’s singular agenda is to serve the will of God. When our motive is to make money to serve our own will, then our relationship with God breaks down and our view of reality is skewed.

With the proper motive, we see competition as a gift from God that challenges competitors to be more efficient, effective, and creative. Customers and clients benefit from competitors honing each other. Everyone wins when competitors function as stewards.

Here is your business tip. Guard your heart from the sin of mammon worship. Disdaining competition is an indicator of mammon worship. The opposite of mammon worship is the worship of God expressed in the principle of stewardship. Management must model and teach stewardship to all stakeholders. When this view takes hold in the organization, competition is valued because it challenges the organization to be more effective, efficient, and creative. Competition makes organizations better and serves the interests of the customers and clients. Also, competition facilitates mutual learning. Therefore, put aside mammon worship with its narcissistic hedonistic greed. Seek to serve God’s purpose through your organization by competing well.