Comparisons!

December 7, 2023

Comparisons!

Sometimes I am really bad at comparing myself to other people!  I bet you are, too!!

We compare ourselves to others when…

We are feeling hurt

We are feeling afraid

We are feeling inadequate

We are feeling unattractive

We are feeling defeated

We are feeling we don’t measure up

Sometimes I am really bad at comparing myself to other people!  I bet you are, too!!

We compare ourselves to others when…

We did not get the promotion

We did not get pregnant

We did not win the game

We did not get recognized

We did not succeed at marriage

We did not get invited to the big event

Sometimes I am really bad at comparing myself to other people!  I bet you are, too!!

The bad news is that comparing ourselves to other people rarely produces anything that is helpful or healthy.  Disappointment and discouragement and distress often flood our heart, mind, and soul when we are relentlessly engaged in comparing ourselves to other people.

Sadly, even those who love and serve Jesus as Savior can fall into making all kinds of comparisons.  That very thing was occurring in the church at Corinth.  In his second letter to the church, Paul cautions the believers in that church about making comparisons.

In II Corinthians 10:12 Paul writes;  “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves.  But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they do not show good sense.”

Paul says that comparing ourselves to other people, especially those who are promoting and puffing up themselves, does not make sense.  It makes no sense to compare ourselves to other people.

And yet, we find ourselves making comparisons.  We ask all kinds of “What if…?” questions.  What if I had their good looks, their job, their church, their parents, their house, their “in” with the boss, their sense of humor, their salary, their wife, their ability to pray,…  “What if…?”

Sometimes, though, our comparisons go in the opposite direction.  We make all kinds of “I’m glad I’m not like…!” statements.  I’m glad I am not so bitter, not so unattractive, not so negative, not so stuck, not so messy, not so spiritually immature, not so sad, not so addicted, not so lost, not so angry,…  “I’m glad I’m not like…!”

When I compare myself to another person, I either make myself less or make the other person less.  In my heart, mind, and soul, one of us ends up being less than the person God created us to be.  I am less than a child of God, I am less than someone who is accepted by God, I am less than someone for whom Jesus died for my forgiveness, my abundant life, and my eternal life.

The answer to making comparisons is a matter of focus.  Rather than keep our focus on another person or even on ourself, we keep our focus on Jesus.  In II Corinthians 10:17 Paul says; “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

We are called to boast in the Lord!  Jesus is our focus, Jesus is our example, Jesus is our standard. 

When we keep all of our heart, all of our mind, and all of our soul focused on Jesus there will be less and less desire to compare ourselves to another person.  When we focus our praise and gratitude on Jesus, there is less and less opportunity to puff ourselves up or tear ourselves down by comparing ourselves to other people.

I invite you to shift your focus from comparing yourself to another person to a focus on Jesus each day this week.

I invite you to fill your thoughts with praise to Jesus rather than comparisons with another person each day this week.

When our focus is on Jesus, our heart will be more and more filled with delight in the Lord. 

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug