Clergy from left, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired; Pastor Nicolé Ferry, Assistant Rector Lynn Finnegan and Pastor Deb Church. Courtesy photo
By Pastor Nicolé Raddu Ferry
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Los Alamos
“The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’, and it would obey you.” Luke 17: 5-6
“It is nice to have valid competition; it pushes you to do better.” –Gianni Versace
“Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off.” –Franklin D. Roosevelt
“There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there.” –Indira Gandhi
The Bible verses you see at the top of this article were from what we call “the text” that we read each Sunday when we gather for worship. In the tradition I serve, we read from different areas of the Bible and often focus on the Gospels (or the first 4 books of the New Testament where the teachings of Jesus Christ are reflected). In this text we can learn that even the smallest amount of faith can be used by God to make a difference in the world. Mustard seeds are tiny … check out a picture in your next google search.
As I spoke to many folks in this last week about competition, it appears that we can agree that competition can support us in being our very best. Competition can help us try to reach a level beyond what we think is possible and give us motivation we to keep going even when things are very challenging. All of this is good. As one who participated in sports and continues to watch the time on my hikes and runs, I honor that competition can be helpful.
My struggle begins when competition becomes the tool that degrades, judges, dismisses, and crafts a categorization that only the best of best will do. That only one’s gold stars make a difference, and that only the “cool kids” can be invited. As our Tuesday Bible Study noted “Competition can be onerous”. As one who is blessed to be in the presence of our middle and high school students, I see their stage of life as having so much competition and it can make for a very challenging time.
I invite you to lean into the promise that even the “amount” of faith we have (whatever that means from 1% to 100%) can be enough to be kind, to be encouraging. To have patience when things do not go our way. To see those on the margins and learn their names and their needs. And even to learn from someone we do not agree with? I believe that would uproot a mulberry bush into the sea or move a mountain as we read in Matthew 17:20. May it be so.
Editor’s note: ‘All Shall Be Well’ is a semi-monthly column written by local women clergy (pastors and deacons) including, ELCA Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, M.Div., retired (czoebidd@gmail.com); Nicolé Ferry, Pastor, Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church (pastornicole@bethluth.com); Lynn Finnegan, Assistant Rector, The Episcopal Church of the Holy Faith, Santa Fe (rev.lynn@holyfaithchurchsf.org) and Deb Church, Pastor, White Rock Presbyterian Church (pastor@wrpchurch.com).
