Don’t Compare Yourself With Others
“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.”
II Corinthians 10:12 (NIV)
But, we have all done it, haven’t we? We’ve looked at others and wished we had their looks, their talents, or personality, etc., and compared ourselves with them. Some have had face lifts, look-a-like hair styles or clothing, etc., in order to look like their human idols.
There are two basic problems with comparing ourselves with others. Firstly, we can feel so inferior we get discouraged. Then, secondly, we can become vain with feelings of superiority as the other person isn’t as good, or accomplished, as you are.
However, we need to know each one of us is a unique creation and God has a plan for everyone. Although some people have a similarity, no two people are exactly alike. This goes back to our conception. A human egg cell, representing one of eight million possibilities, will be fertilised by a single sperm cell, which can represent one of eight million different possibilities. This makes the chances of two humans producing an exact same two humans sixty four trillion to one. Any bookmaker would be rubbing his hands with glee with odds like that!
We should not compare ourselves with others as we have no idea what their journey is all about. Philip Yancey puts it well. “I’ll never pray like Martin Luther and I’ll never have the spirit of Mother Teresa. Agreed, but we are not called to duplicate someone else on earth, but to realise our authentic selves.”
We need to realise and thank God for our uniqueness and also the uniqueness of every human being. Be thankful for who we are and marvel at God’s creation in making each one of us unique in Him.
Don’t ask God to mould you like someone else, but ask him to shape you into his image his way.
Prayer
Dear God. Thank you for creating each one of us unique. Help me not to compare myself with others, but to compare myself with Jesus. Help us all to rejoice in our uniqueness and help us let you develop in us your creation.
Amen
Study by David Bedford
Tom Mahon says:
I don’t know who the above, but does it actually explain why God inspired Paul to write that Christians should not commend themselves or compare themselves with other Christians? I would have thought that the writer would explain, from the bible, why it is wrong to commend oneself or compare oneself with others, rather than saying everyone is unique.
If you intend to post a regular thought for the day that will inspire God’s people to walk in the light of his truth, then, please let it be from the bible, and not from human reasoning.