Killer Comparison

August 6, 2020

A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Proverbs 14:30 NLT

Another wise proverb from Solomon, with one more secret to embracing life and living well in our uncertain world. Jealousy and envy will destroy you from the inside out. We don’t often describe it in ourselves like this, but we do act it out as we compare ourselves with others.

We get in trouble with the measuring stick. Paul described the kind of comparison that became a cancer in the bones of the church in Corinth. He said, “Oh, don't worry; we wouldn't dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant! (2 Corinthians 10:12). He is with great clarity pointing out that comparison leads to many evils. When we play the comparison game, we likely do so for one of two reasons: We believe we are better or worse than other people, or we are envious of other people.

When comparison turns into jealousy, it ruins our relationships with others. But comparison also opens the door for sabotaging lies to steal our confidence and stymie our courage. Comparison puts up roadblocks along the path to fulfilling our God-given calling by setting a standard for approval and acceptance that God didn’t set for us. We begin to fear that perhaps we’re fatally flawed. We compare our abilities to someone else’s and come to this conclusion: “I could never do it like he does it.” And you know what? We were never meant to! God doesn’t need two people just alike. He has uniquely and precisely created you and me with specific gifts and talents to do exactly what He’s called us to do. He has given us what we need to embrace and enjoy life where we are with what we have.

God knows our inadequacies and insecurities. He knows what caused them and who caused them. He saw you and me before we even had them. Yet God chose us before we were born for a purpose—to fulfill a plan in a predetermined point in time (Acts 17:26). Comparison and jealousy will kill it.

• Pray: Heavenly Father, please forgive me for comparing myself with others rather than embracing my life. Today I let go of the measuring stick of comparison, and rejoice in who I am and where I am. Amen.
• Pay attention to how many times you compare yourself to someone else today. What do you think God would say to you about those comparisons?