Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else.
—Galatians 6:4
Christians are told not to compare themselves to others. In fact, to do so is sinful, because we are effectively saying God’s creation and His choices for us are not good enough. Yet, the comparison trap is one we all fall into. Sometimes envy motivates it—we want the job, the house, the car, or the job our neighbors have. Sometimes it’s a matter of low self-esteem—we think the person next to us is more beautiful, smarter or more spiritual than we are. If we could just be more like that person, we would be happy and God would like us better.
The truth is, no matter how you feel and what you can or cannot do, God cannot love you anymore than He already does. He also can’t love you any less. He knows you are human and have flaws. While He wants you to improve upon these, He wants you to do so with His help, and not because you’re trying to imitate another person. In fact, Paul tells us the only person we should imitate is Christ.
Take some time today to ask yourself how much comparing you do. You probably make comparison statements more than you realize. Pray to determine what motivates these statements and attitudes, and ask God how to kick the comparison habit. Search for verses that affirm your identity in Christ as a perfect heir, a beloved child of God, and someone worth dying for. Remind yourself of the things you do well, and look for opportunities to do them. Finally, ask yourself how you can encourage others. There are probably people out there who compare themselves to you, and you can show them how special they are to God as well.
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