For me, having now spent two months in Europe, I've seen how tennis fever has ruled, with tall pitchers of Pimms and lemonade and strawberries on the menu, as well as a nationalistic fervour that would easily match an All Black or Wallabies fan club.
The two weeks of 'Wimbledon' tennis is a very British institution, with players gathering from all around the world to play in front of royalties, celebrities and an eager British public stripped off to minimal clothing at the slightest peak of sunshine.
With the crowds' wild for certain players, it becomes quickly apparent who the favourites are. It isn't simply the pretty, leggy Russian blondes.
What seems to garner the attention and pleasure of the crowd, with ooohs and aaahs and wild ovations, is the general attitude of the player – smiling and determined can make the difference between a crowd-pleaser and a crowd-silencer. Quiet and aggressive – or even furrowed knitted brows with rackets being thrown all over the court – does not a Wimbledon favourite produce.
The true tennis champion or indeed sportsman has to have the grit and determination to succeed, in training and on the court. They can hold the winner's trophy up high, triumphant that all their hard work took them to the prize.
Yet watching Wimbledon, I was intrigued to see some players had something else driving their tennis. During the games, it seemed as if aggression drove their shots and their faces would become contorted, their attitude making it look as if Centre Court was the last place they'd like to be. Competitiveness seemed to be ruling in them in a way that wasn't healthy.
However, for the other players, even when they were not playing at their best form, they were still able to interact with the crowd and were even able to laugh at the odd unforced error. And it was a pleasure to watch these players. Some had tears and some were emotional. But it ultimately looked as if they enjoyed the ride – they tried with every effort, but they didn't let a spirit of competitiveness dictate how they saw
themselves or their game on the day or their future.
Personal experience
'Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules.' 2 Timothy 2 verse 5
I've always believed competitiveness to be something that most men and some women (and I include myself) just did naturally. In the past, I have wanted to win every race. When I played hockey and netball, I didn't see the point in playing if I wasn't going to win.
If I was playing for fun, I would have to ditch the competitive. If I was playing competitively, fun didn't get a look in. What I started to notice as I looked past the players at Wimbledon is that plenty of us are ruled by competitiveness and have forgotten how to do our race of life with enjoyment.
On the tennis court, even if I was winning convincingly, I would still beat myself up about missing a shot, hitting the ball into the net and doing a double fault. It would change my day, spoil the game for other person and I'd generally be a sulky and angry player on court, telling myself that I was not good enough at tennis and that I should be better.
As I looked further, I noticed that a competitive spirit has seeped into other areas of my life and it wasn't necessarily about being better than every Tom, Dick or even Harriet. It was the fact I always put pressure on myself to be better, striving to the detriment of my own enjoyment, to always be pushing myself.
The competitive spirit
'Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.' 1 Corinthians 9 verses 24-27
Don't get me wrong – I believe that we all like to do well and it certainly is not wrong to play to win or do life in a way where we improve and work towards and achieve our goals.
However, as I know first hand, those with the competitive spirit often have an insatiable appetite to succeed, pushing themselves to more, and finding fault in what they just succeeded in. Achievements can be made in anger to prove points to others and to ourselves rather than being satisfied with our own progression.
A competitive spirit can wreak havoc on contentment and our ability to enjoy the simple things. We end up comparing ourselves to others without even realising, but thinking we should be better than we really are, rather than looking to truly understand how God sees us.
Occasionally we are so overcome by the drive to compete and follow our own voice, working hard on our own competitive agenda that we can carry on full steam ahead on the wrong path. In the midst of this, we forget to listen to God and check in with his direction for our lives.
I believe God wants us to try and have fun – he wants us to run the race of life with conviction, determination and grit, ready to face what is to come. Yet, the distraction of fighting against a spirit that whispers in our ear during a tennis match or at the end of a series of work presentations, takes our eyes from the prize.
We look into ourselves and away from what we are truly running towards, and we are not yet totally free to run without anything that hinders and entangles. And so I believe we can ask the Holy Spirit to set us free from this spirit of competitiveness and rediscover what trying and fun in the Lord and life are again.
Can we lose?
And with John McEnroe, his fighting on court, 'the ball was on the line', means that he is remembered for his brashness and for challenging every single point.
I'd like to be remembered for running the race well, without aggression, involving the crowd and those in the race next to me and I can still run my God race determinedly, but I can do it with others rather than driving on ahead by myself.
Rather than engaging with my competitive spirit of always thinking I can do my Christian walk in a better way, beating myself up about where I fall down and seeing the log in the eyes of others. And instead, having the Holy Spirit on my side of the court rather than a competitive spirit which alienates the crowd.
Originally from The Lake District in the UK, Amanda works in Publishing in Auckland and is passionate about seeing Christians bring salt and light into the media, arts and creative industries. She is also working on fighting her FOMO and doing less. Amanda wrote this article from London when on holidays.
Amanda Robinson's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/amanda-robinson.html