"Comparison is the thief of joy" so sayeth Teddy Roosevelt or Dwight Edwards (depending on your Internet source). As a girl who strives to look for the bright side of things I am struck by how often I rob myself and others of joy by comparing. Most often I compare in my head, as I drive, talk, interact with the world. I check off how my hair is not as good as hers. How my outfit is definitely not the latest trend like hers. How my van doors require muscle instead of magic. How my home is not nearly as Pottery Barn as that one. How my kids behave better than those but not nearly as respectfully as those. And on it goes.
God has a word for it. Sin. This past Sunday Pastor Randy continued his sermon on the seven woes. In Matthew 23, Jesus warns the Pharisees of their utter blindness to their sin. On Sunday Pastor Randy looked out to the congregation and asked, "What are your blind spots " I said a quick prayer right there and went on with the business of trying to keep John quiet and Elijah from staring behind him.
And then, "Comparison is the thief of joy" kept ringing in my ears. Comparing is my blind spot. I do it so often, we all do, that is has become expected, normal, part of the culture. "It's just who I am and God made me."
Except that it is not. God desires us all to have joy, which is only complete in Him. When I waste time comparing/coveting/whining I am robbing myself of the joy of contentment and celebrating all the blessings God has given me. This is a slap in the face of a God who has given me more than I deserve. Ouch!
Paul instructs us in Hebrews, "Keep your lives free from the love of money {or hair styles, or clothes or cars or behavior of children) and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrew 13:5
I don't have a tidy ending here. Just my observations and confession and prayer for improvement.
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