JUNE 12, 2023
2 Corinthians 10:12
“We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”
2 Corinthians 10:12 (The Message)
12 We’re not, understand, putting ourselves in a league with those who boast that they’re our superiors. We wouldn’t dare do that. But in all this comparing and grading and competing, they quite miss the point.
Comparison.
It can be somewhat of a contradiction. On one hand, comparison is necessary in our everyday lives.
We compare prices to get the best value. Wise Stewardship.
We compare how we were doing last year, to how we are doing today, to measure progress toward our goals.
These kinds of comparison and measurements are healthy and good.
But there’s another type of comparison and measurement that is not so healthy and good. And it’s not healthy and good for two reasons:
We tend to identify our worth and performance and value based on how we compare with others.
Comparing ourselves with others brings in our ego, which wants to be exalted over another person.
In summary, these comparisons result is feeling like we will be diminished if another person is enhanced, or we feel superior and puffed up when we see ourselves as better than another.
The problem in both of these is that comparison destroys love. It robs us of the ability to genuinely love another person and in some cases, even love ourself.
Join me in a quick inventory to see where the tendency to compare might exist in us.
Have you ever:
Compared yourself to another based on looks? (Physique, hair, teeth, beauty/handsomeness)
Compared your career, Education, intelligence, or athletic ability to someone else’s?
Compared your house, car, or other “toys”?
Compared your kids, your spouse, or family history, with someone elses?
Compared your faith to another’s?
Compared your social media followers? Or Post likes to others?
If you’re feeling a bit busted right now, please recognize that you’re not alone. But let us also recognize that we can be intentional about rejecting comparing ourself to others because we know it’s a miserable, contaminated, anti-Kingdom-of-God way to live. And we can choose to nurture contented living in God's Kingdom.
This week in our devotions we will look at some people in the Bible for whom comparison killed, some literally. And we will be challenged to dig out, from the source, and the trend in our own life to compare, so that we might be able to experience God’s love more freely, and indeed to truly love others more fully.
Heavenly Father, please forgive me for comparing myself with others rather than praising You for the way You've knit me together and gifted me. I know I'm Your workmanship — Your handiwork. Today, I let go of the measuring stick of comparison, and take hold of the way You've uniquely fashioned me for Your purposes. Amen.
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