COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING

A sure-fire way to miss the wonder and glory in life is to live by comparing ourselves to others.  Yet, this is an ongoing process that goes fundamentally unnoticed.  We will make personal progress if we can lean into the understanding that goes with this seems-to-be a secret walk.

Comparing to another is an odd issue.  One will tend to compare himself to another and find opposing results.  Compared to one we elevate our stock by feeling superior.  Yet, to another we are likely to find discouragement because we don't meet UP to their performance or their looks or their education.

God makes it clear.  When we compare ourselves to ourselves we are without understanding; II Cor. 10:12.  For certain, we are often without understanding.

Our tendency is to feel better about ourselves or worse by looking at someone else and noticing their success or failure.  James, however, slays us by making this charge: For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in point, he has become guilty of all. Sin by gossip?  Same guilt as stealing.  Sin by laziness?  Equal to adultery.  When we sin in one place we are guilty of all sins because....all sin is devastating.

Comparatively speaking, we don't know what we are talking about.  We have a way of condemning others for their awful sin while we explain ours away as something we are working on....or it's not that bad...or everybody struggles with it.

We tend to be critical of sinners who commit acts which give us absolutely no temptation.  It's easy to be vocal about those involved in same-sex attraction when I have never had such an inclination.  It's quite another to dismiss jealousy because...well...that's rather an ordinary dilemma.  Yet, jealousy isn't a problem to those who are never tempted by it.

When we melt away our trait of comparing ourselves to others we begin to find a new kind of mental/emotional health.  First we realize we are all crummy without exception.  Second we find the grace of God found in Jesus to be fascinating because it was not longer they who need it...but myself as well.

When we move through life aware of our own sins first we become sympathetic to everyone around us.  We may not struggle with the same things; but our battles are similar.  I'm at some of my worst days when I comparatively find myself better or worse than another.

The best days, the strongest days, the most encouragingly truthful days are to realize my nothingness.  His everythingness is a gift for each of us plagued by our own clear weaknesses as He has given His all to all of us in order to make us into some kind of brand new wonder of a person.