The Danger of Comparison

II Corinthians 10:12  "For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."

Psalm 40:8 "I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”

Jeremiah 31:33 "I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Lord Jesus,

I see the danger of comparing myself to others. Self-comparisons to others may lead to a sense of debilitating discouragement. This sort of debilitating discouragement creates a sense of deep satisfaction. Advertisers have discovered how to create an emotional dissatisfaction and leverage it into corporate profit! Commercials scream the despairing gospel of dissatisfaction: "You are inadequate! Buy me! Then you will be a happy person!"

Self-comparison is based in pride. We long to be adequate, if not superior, in comparison to others. The drive to compete begs for victory at all costs over our competition--other people.  

The danger of self-comparison is crippling. The latest fashion, gadgets, biggest house, newest car, prettiest wife, smartest kids, best athletic team... Our celebrity culture creates pop icons of singers, movie stars, and victorious athletes. Time after time we learn of our heroes deep personal flaws. Alcoholism, broken homes, serial relationships, suicide, depression, fatherless children, waning popularity, premature deaths. 

Each morning after a triumph, one still has to look oneself in the mirror. All too often, we don't like what we seek. Victories fade, vanishing into despair. Applause, once deafening, diminishes into haunting silence. Yet, the same face stares back at us in the mirror. Self-comparison leaves us empty. 

Lord, Jesus, what are You trying to tell us about ourselves? Are You saying that self-comparison is an inevitable feature of being human? Is self-comparison a glimmering remnant of Your stamp of imago dei upon Your creation? Are our flawed attempts at self-comparison failing to fill the void within because we are comparing ourselves to false and fleeting standards? Are You calling us to something permanent, real, and enduring? Are You calling us to Yourself?

French mathematician, physicist, and religious philosopher, Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) said: "Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair."

You call me to Yourself. You call me to be compared to Your character. Then You invite me to embrace the transformation of Your character in my life. You call me to Christlikeness. I want to be like You.

Compare me to Yourself. Shape me. Make me. Conform me to You. Write Your law upon my heart. Shape the core of my identity in You. Never lead me to despair my failure to look like You, but in faith, draw me deeper into relationship, surrender, and conformity to Your will,  so that I may reflect Your character.

In the Name of Jesus, the One I long to be like,
Amen.