Mompetion= one up-man's ship
I was reading over on Amy Bayliss‘s blog about competition in ministry. Sad but true I have witnessed this and when I was new to ministry I felt the green of the jealousy monster. Thankfully the Lord brought a mentor into my life to teach me what a servant’s heart means.
Mompetion= The urge to out do other mothers at the playgroup, MOPS, Church, homeschool coop etc with how great our child has done it such and such.
While most of this is well deserved pride some is not. This mompetion can get down right spiteful. Then if you child is already challenged by a disability the deck is stacked against you and you become the last one on the totem pole. I struggled with this as my children’s peers learned to talk clearly with cute little sayings. Then came the alphabet and reading that my children struggled with. I had been defeated in the great mompetion.
I had been raised in a community that the outside "face" and how you measured up to your neighbor was very important. I faced a decision to allow that feeling of rejection to continue or find a new way to deal with it. As I said before I was blessed with a mentor in ministry at this time. She mentored me through study of the Bible and example to change my thinking from inward to outward. Serving others.
I learned to put aside the mompetion and the expectations that I was raised with. I have been blessed to see my children through God’s eyes. I accept them as they are. I rejoice with them when they suceed. I weep with them when they hurt.
The mompetion is hurtful to your soul. It encourages bitterness and selfiness to creep into your heart. When I began changing my thinking. I chose to over look the competion and become and enthusiatic listener. I may have never changed any one else but I changed how I deal with them. I think that in the end it has made me a better mommy, and christian.
Thank you Amy for pointing out the sometimes painful truths that lurk in our hearts. Thank you Lord for being the shining light to clear away the darkness.
