MARCH IN YOUR COLUMN

Our fellow partners in "adulting" phase, we bring thee warm greetings . Our previous blog post shared light on how exemplary we should be as Christians in the workplace. If you're yet to read that, we strongly encourage you to do so before you jump on this post.

So here's the thing right, it feels like a bloodbath out there if you're a worker or a student. There seems to be a culture of competitiveness and almost every time, you have to keep looking over your shoulder just to be sure that no one is stabbing you in the back. Sometimes, it could be a supervisor laying a trap for you by withholding vital information, or a colleague sending mails targeted at sparking up trouble for you, or you being side-lined from meetings out of jealousy etc. Frankly, there’s no problem with that happening to us in the world because there's a reason Jesus said in this world we would have trouble, yet we should take heart because He has overcome the world. (John 16:33). If you happen to be experiencing such turbulence at work, we pray the Lord gives you divine wisdom and peace to thrive even in the midst of such chaos.

 The problem however is, when you realise the worldly system  of competitiveness, seeping even into the church where we are supposed to be the body of Christ, functioning in our different capacities and gifting altogether as one!

In Joel 2:8 NKJV, the Bible states that "They do not push one another; Every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, They are not cut down."

This prophecy in Joel chapter 2 paints the picture of the End Time army of Christians God would raise up to wage war against the enemy. One of the distinct features of this army is that, they do not push one another! Everyone is marching in his own column!!
The focus is not on the other person but on their assignment which is to wage war against the enemy in whichever capacity God has equipped them and graced them to. More importantly, the Scripture says that, because they do not push each other or break ranks (as stated in other versions), although they cut through weapons they are not cut down.

Let me break this down, the moment we begin to break ranks and start pushing one another, we move out of our columns. The danger in doing that is ,eventually, we would lose our place and the weapons of the enemy would cut us down.

See, the enemy is not your fellow brother or sister who sings better than you in the choir, or the brother who leads prayer better than you, or that brethren whose ministry has more followers than yours, or that young man or lady who seems favoured by the departmental leader or pastor. So why on earth are we allowing the devil to use us to push each other out of our column?

There's a reason why we are the body of Christ. The body has many parts functioning together to create a perfect outcome. Even the Bible outlines how the eye cannot play the function of the ear or vice-versa. There's a need to understand that we all have varied gifts and capacities in varied measures,  yet the end goal is for us to work together and make Christ known and wage war against the enemy.

Interestingly, there seems to a culture of comparison which grows into competitiveness. It would be very foolish of us to keep comparing and competing with one another when we are supposed to be encouraging and uplifting each other to function at our optimum capacities. Yes, the world believes in dimming the light of another so that yours will shine but that's not how the kingdom of God operates.

The Bible says in Proverbs 4:25 ESV; Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Our focus should be on how we can work on ourselves with the help of the Holy Spirit to be better equipped to do our assignments. Your fellow partner in ministry is not your competition. If there's a grace or quality we admire, let's get closer to those individuals, encourage them to keep advancing. Instead, some of us resort to making snide remarks in the form of playful jest, pellet false rumours, project our own inadequacies and insecurities on them because we think we are in competition with them. What we fail to realise is,doing this would break their resolve and spirits causing them to move out of their column. Some of us are so blinded by this competitive nature such that our goal is that they lose their place and we get to stand in their column instead.

What we are hind-sighted of is that, moving them out of their column is exposing ourselves to get cut down by the weapons of the enemy. We all have a column to walk in. Let's focus on doing that. Also, if you realise that the actions of others are targeted at moving you out of your column, don't lose your resolve for the sake of your assignment.

Paul made a profound statement in 2 Corinthians 10:12; For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

The Word of God says it is unwise to compare ourselves with others using ourselves as standard of measurements. Sometimes we are so conscious of our flaws and insecurities that in order to feel better about ourselves, we want to fixate on the flaws and insecurities of others. We end up projecting our own flaws and inadequacies on others because their seeming perfection and authenticity irritates our own demons. Not realising that our focus should be on running our race. If you're a fan of track events, you realise that the sprinters are so focused on running in their lanes. One split second of losing focus to watch the next person in the other lane would result in failure. Being so critical and comparing ourselves with the next person makes us lose focus and move out of our columns. 

Also, there are some of us who also commend ourselves so highly above others that we start using ourselves as the standard to assess others and not count them as worthy. Thus, by our action of always trying to keep outdoing them, we start competing with them and lose focus of our assignments. More so, by our actions,  we cause them to even give up on their assignments and shift them out of their columns altogether.

In the parable of the talents, the master demanded output from each one individually. There's a reason why although he didn't give them an equal number of talents, he expected a measure of output from each one. Some have 5 talents and seem to do everything for the Lord, yours could be just 2 but focus on your two talents and perfect them such that you become an exemplary servant of God. What matters is at the end to hear the Master say "Well done, thou good and faithful servant".

The real enemy is out there, throwing weapons at us. We need every soldier standing and active. Don't push another soldier out of their column, you're hurting the entire flank. You're a soldier on the battlefield sweetheart, there is a race to be run and there is an account to be given. Focus on your unique assignment and run the race set before you so you might obtain the prize. Celebrate the strengths of others and support them because every column is important in this battle. Oh and if you're in a place where it seems you're being attacked by others, just know that sometimes your authenticity is irritating their demons (insecurities). There is no time to waste so don’t let them move you out of your column. We need every soldier actively standing in his/her column. Let's not push one another or break ranks. Stay in your column, focus on your assignment and excel to the glory of His name.

Your friends,
Becky and Sharon