The comparison game we all play when looking at others is always a losing game. You already know this. Compared to friends, family, and even strangers, we come up short every time and begin to doubt ourselves. Low self-esteem soon follows.
But why do we do it? And how can we move away from this?
Read on to see how to stop playing the comparison game, and start winning the life game!
Galatians 6:3-5 If you think you are better than others, when you really aren’t, you are wrong. 4 Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don’t compare yourself with others. 5 We each must carry our own load.
Verse four teaches us to do our own work. God created us to work. This pattern is revealed in Genesis, before and after the fall of man:
Genesis 2:15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
The joyful work of cultivating and caring for God’s beautiful creation was the original plan.
Genesis 3:17b-19 “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
After the fall of man, the work became “painful toil”, accomplished by the “sweat of your brow”.
The nature of the work changed, but we can see we were designed to work from the start. We each have our work to do in this life, as we saw in Galations 6:4.
We are instructed to do our work well, and then we can be proud of the accomplishments and our obedience.
Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.
So now we know we were created to work and do it well. The end of verse 4 says,
Don’t compare yourself with others.
This instruction from the Lord is clear. No interpretation is needed. When we go against God’s word it is sin. Plain and simple. Wow. I needed to hear that!
When we compare ourselves to others we are sinning. And God knows it isn’t good for us. This is a very good reason to learn ways to move away from the comparison game.
We each must carry our own load. This is key!
My load is different than yours. Your neighbor’s load is different than mine. This means we each have unique work to do that can’t be compared.
Which is better? The zebra or the giraffe? The giraffe can’t compare to the striking black and white stripes of the zebra. But the zebra can’t possibly eat those delicious, young leaves at the top of the acacia tree.
Do you see my point? We each carry our own load. Unique and varied. Designed by God. But somehow, this gets twisted…
We compare our weaknesses to others' strengths. That's why we always lose the comparison game.
Philippians 3:12-14 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Paul’s focus is clear.
He is “pressing on”, “taking hold”, “forgetting what is behind”, “straining toward what is ahead”, and “winning the prize”. He knows God has called him heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Does this sound like a man who is comparing his weaknesses to another’s strengths?
To me, it sounds like a man who is focused on his load and knows he has been called and equipped to carry that load and ultimately win the prize!
Have you noticed I haven’t spent time focusing on the people we compare ourselves to? That’s because it isn’t about how beautiful, rich, talented, powerful, charismatic, well-liked, motivated to homeschool, or amazing they are. It’s about you.
Let this truth soak in for a moment. Take a deep breath and reassess your load, my friend. Jesus has taken ahold of you so press on towards the prize!
What areas do you compare yourself to others the most? Which is the hardest to turn away from? Leave a comment below!