Comparison...

Week 37:

Galatians 6:3-5  3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  4Each one should test his own actions.  Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5for each one should carry his own load.

How often do I compare myself to others?  I am sure more than I realize.  I catch myself making judgments according to where someone is in his/her life and where I am.  I will compare where I am spiritually to others.  I will compare myself vocationally with others.  I will compare myself financially with others. 

 

Let’s break this passage up. Starting in verse 3…the deception is twofold.  First, if I compare myself to someone I perceive as more “lowly” than me, and then I am deceived by a false sense of superiority.  That sense of superiority allows me to become a “poser” and believe I am something I am not.  I get a false security in my superiority and I am either set up for a fall or I am not prepared for my next step in my transformation.  Take for instance athletics.  If I compare myself to what I perceive as an inferior opponent I may get a false sense of how good I really am.  When I then run into an equal or superior opponent I am set up for a beating.

Secondly, if I compare myself to those that I perceive as superior to me then, I get a feeling that I will never reach where that person is spiritually, physically, financially, and/or vocationally.  When I do this, I set up my life to be a victim of my circumstances and begin to shift blame and responsibility.

Paul tells us in verse 4 to test our own actions.  He tells us to compare ourselves with ourselves…so to speak.  I take this as reflecting back on where I was and where I am now.  When I take time to reflect, I realize that God has been transforming me all along.  This also allows me to set goals for myself that are attainable within my realm not somebody else’s.  I want to take a side note here.  This does not mean that we set “safe” goals.  I believe we are to step out into situations that seem lofty or impossible in order to be stretched by God.  That would be subject for another discussion another time.  The main point here is, do not work off of someone else’s goals and aspirations.  Work off of yours…it will give you a better depiction of where you are. 

By testing my own actions, I am now able to compare myself with myself.  I am able to get a true measure of where I am, where I have been, and where I am going.  And, I believe that once I have done this, it actually frees me to carry my own load without relying on others to set the bar for me.  Once I have hit a milestone, I can take pride in the work I have done through the power that God has given me.

So remember…”If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  Each one should test his own actions.  Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.”

Questions and challenges:

1.       How do you compare yourself with others? 

2.       How do you follow the “twofold deception”?

3.       How does it make you feel when you compare yourself with those “inferior” to you?

4.       How does it make you feel when you compare yourself with those “superior” to you?

5.       Where in your life do/have you compared yourself with yourself and taken pride in what you have accomplished?

6.       Spend some time in meditation over this passage.  Ask Jesus to come alongside of you and point out to you (a) where you need to do your own inner comparison and (b) what transformation in your life you have accomplished.


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