There was once a farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won first prize. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed the farmer about his strategy for growing winning corn. “What was it?” asked the reporter.

“Simply this,” said the farmer: ” I share my seed corn with my neighbors.”

The reporter was shocked. “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors,” he retorted, “when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?”

“Why not?” said the farmer, “Do you not understand?”

The newspaper reporter replied, “No, I don’t.”

The farmer continued, “the wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. And, if I am to grow good corn, I have to help my neighbors grow good corn as well.”

We are living in a society where people tend to chose competition over cooperation. Many people thrive on the desire to be ahead of others. It is the motivating force in many of our schools and most businesses where the clarion call is: “Nothing succeeds like success.” People may even imagine that this is the way it will be in Heaven with some possessing better spots than others.

Success is only good when it is achieved with integrity of spirit just like the farmer who succeeded in growing winning corn by sharing his seed corn with his neighbors.

The lesson of this story is clear: if we are to do good, we must help our neighbors do good as well.”

Chose cooperation over competition. It is a win-win situation that everyone benefits from it.