You VS. Others

I was listening to the radio with my sister today while driving to the mall. K-love just finished playing a love-song about Jesus ("I love you for you."), then a lady came on and began talking. 

"Don't compare yourself to others. You see other moms doing this and that, and it makes feel you are a terrible mom.  You shouldn't compare yourself to them because God loves you for who you are."

Those weren't her exact words, but they are fairly close. It sounds good and encouraging on the surface. God doesn't want us to compare ourselves to others, right? Then it hit me why those sort of messages always make me cringe a little. Listen to the underlying message.

"Don't compare yourself to others because it makes you feel bad. You feel you don't look as good as they do. Don't worry. You are fine just the way you are! You are just as good as them.  There is no need to change, and don't let anyone tell you different!"

And what's the problem?    People are not the standard. 

But we're not comparing ourselves to anyone anymore.

Yes, but why aren't you? Because you've already decided that you are just as good as they are.

Is it okay to be just the same as everyone else? Don't you think we're missing something staying "just the way we are"? 

You see, God is the standard. That is why we don't compare ourselves to others--not because it makes us feel bad--or good for that matter. In Romans Paul addresses this problem: "What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one."

When we measure ourselves up to God's standard, we will always come up short, but we shouldn't let this discourage us from trying to reach it. On the contrary, it should motivate us to try harder. We shouldn't be content to stay in the same place forever. Our faith should be growing. We need to bear fruit like it says in John 15:2, "He [God] cuts off every branch in me [Jesus] that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." 

Now I'm not saying that we can do anything to earn God's love. God does love you the way you are. Obeying all His commandments perfectly can't make Him love us more. There is a familiar verse in John that says, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." And in Romans 5:7-8  it says, "For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Emphasis added)  If He loved us that much while we were dead in sin, no amount of righteous deeds can make Him love us more. This shouldn't make us complacent. No indeed, it should inspire us to do all we can to please Him.

In conclusion, don't compare yourself to others. Not because you've already got it made, but because God is the real standard.  Yes, God loves you how you are, but let His love inspire you to grow more like Him everyday.

I'll end with another verse from John 15. This is Jesus speaking both encouragement and warning: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."