Death by comparison

Comparison is deadly…and yet we probably all do it.

It’s human nature to compare and compete, and even when we’re in our super-holy, I’m-only-serving-for-the-glory-of-God mode, we still fall prey to this tendency. And that’s so foolish because we all carry enough baggage and insecurity to make it nearly impossible for us to make objective comparisons. We usually end up comparing our weaknesses with someone else’s strengths. Or we forget that even though our ministries are similar, God calls us for specific purposes that differ from the purposes of the pastor down the street. And if we let these unhealthy, apples-to-oranges comparisons continue, we can end up sinking in a bog of ego-laced insecurity. And it can do a number on us.

Sometimes we need to remember Jesus’ words to Peter in John 21 when Jesus and Peter were walking along the seashore and John started following them. Peter saw him following and he said to Jesus, “What’s going to happen to him?” And Jesus replied in verse 22, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”

What a great marching order! And as we follow Him, let’s stop comparing ourselves to the highlighted leaders in ministry magazines, and let’s start comparing ourselves to His purpose for our lives. He’s not going to ask us why we weren’t more like the megachurch pastors across town. He’s going to ask us, “Why weren’t you more like my Son? And why weren’t you more like you–why didn’t you focus on playing the note in your soul that I hard-wired you to play?”

Let’s be done with unhealthy comparisons. Let’s identify our note, and let’s play it with all of our heart to the glory of God.

You are needed and you are loved!