Victims of Comparison

Comparison.

We are raised in a society that establishes worth and value on comparison. On the one hand, comparisons can be healthy. For example, when we see someone's prayers being answered and we have yet to see ours answered, we can be assured that God has no favorites and what He does for one He WILL do for another, guaranteed. He is also very careful about timing...to Him timing is everything!

But where we get in trouble is when we estimate personal worth and value upon the comparison of another's success or gifts. If we feel like we don't measure up, we feel condemned, insecure, and intimidated. If we feel we do measure up or are even better than what we see, we are faced with pride, arrogance, and at the extreme self-idolatry. Most of us, however, suffer from the former...the feeling of not measuring up. When this happens, we either start to implode, "What's wrong with me? I'm no good. I can't do anything. I have nothing to give that's of any help...what are they thinking? I'm so embarrassed..." or we explode and cut the other down, "Who does he/she think he/she is? She's not so much. I know something else about him...he’s really not that good…"

Personally, I struggle with the implosion more than any other. "What did I do this time? Lord, I know You're faithful. And I see how you are blessing so-and-so and how You have answered their prayers...did I do something wrong? What's going on? I know that You are righteous and just and that You do give us the desires of our hearts...but why haven't I seen it yet? Am I missing something?"

This type of mentality is not uncommon...I'm sure each of you can relate on one end of the spectrum or the other in some way, depending on your personality bent...it's going on in my physical body and even in the church as a whole...

Example: The lymph system is the primary source that supports our immune system. Other organs are involved in supporting the immune system, but lymphs are the main component. Our adrenal glands are connected with the immune system, but their primary function lies with the endocrine system, i.e. hormones. Their primary target is to help the body handle changes, adapting to climate, trauma, or stress (physical, emotional, etc.) while keeping the hormones glands (thyroid, reproductive organs, etc.) flowing in unison during the transition as if the change never occurred.

However, let’s say the adrenals decide that they don’t think their position in the body is of any real value. They see the immune system as something more worthy, after all, "The immune system protects the body from intruders! We just sit here and are called only when there's a stress...the lymph system is on the go all the time! Protecting the body from infection and toxins! What a valiant position! That's better than sitting around and waiting for crisis...we want to be more than this. We want to be important…let’s use our energies to protect the body! Let’s be the immune system!"

When the adrenals take over the immune system function as its key focus...they are at work ALL the time, something they were not created to do. As a result, they become fatigued, drained...and when the time comes for the body to have to make some major changes in the face of stress...the adrenals are ill-equipped to do the very thing they were designed to do. They fail. With this failure, the body begins to slowly fall apart...the endocrine system shuts down. Without the steady flow of hormones, the other organs begin to disintegrate and isolate from working with others. Instead of supporting another organ, they are forced to focus on just staying afloat on their own!

That seems to happen with our church today and in us as individuals. Not all of us were created to be lymph nodes. We were not designed to be on the go at all times. If we try to do something we were not designed to do, we fail to do the things we are good at and the Body suffers. Some churches were not designed to support missions and be hands and feet for the Gospel…they were designed to be an organ that keeps the body of Christ healthy from the inside out. But the hands and feet are not of any greater value than the heart and lungs. There is no comparison of which one is more valuable than the other. All form the perfect unity of the Body’s function when working in the area of their design.

But how do we know what “body part” we were created to be? After all, we get worth and value from what we see? Celebrated positions of athletic or oratory talents seem to be the best positions. We want to be “the best,” right? And, once we know what “body part” we are, can we see ourselves as being valuable, even if our society seems to say otherwise?

The prayer that I have been praying for myself, and I think this goes for the church as a whole, is that the Lord give us a vision for who we are as He designed us to be. "Who do You say that I am, Lord?" If we have a vision of who God has created us to be, we will be able to see the race God set for us, not the race for someone else. For, without a vision, the people perish (ref. Prov. 29:18).

But this doesn’t complete the circle. Can we accept the fact that we may not be what we have been led to believe is of more value? Once we receive the vision of who we are, the next prayer is that God grant us the grace to accept what we see…that we appreciate who we are as of incredible worth and value by simply being all that God said we can be. Then, we can run that race with all of our hearts!

So, as an adrenal gland, we can be patient and satisfied to be the organ that holds things together and goes to work at important times of crisis to keep things running…and be glad that we can rest when all things are peaceful. As apart of the lymph system, we can rejoice that we have been instilled with the strength to go, go, go and be up at all times for the glory of the God, Who has given us His strength to run a long distance race…never a dull moment and never worrying about boredom!

May our vision be so fixed on Christ, Who has within Him hidden all the mysteries of God and reveals them to us by His Spirit Who is at work in our hearts. (ref. Col. 1:26-27) may we strive to run our races that God delighted to set for us. May we run with perseverance and gladness knowing that we are bringing our Creator glory and honor and praise! Amen.