Comparing Myself to Others

March 27, 2015

How often do we say to ourselves when we are critical of someone:  Well, at least I don’t do THAT!?  At least I’m not an adulterer.  At least I’m not a liar.  At least I’m not a murderer.  At least I’m not a crooked politician.   The list could go on and on.   What are we really saying when we say those things to ourselves?

Luke 18:  9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Maybe we need to be careful to not try to justify ourselves by comparing ourselves to other people. Christ is the standard we are to judge ourselves by and we fall short of that standard. We can only see some of the struggles people are having.. we can’t see their hearts.  God is their judge.  We can judge what is right or wrong, but we can’t judge the other person so we can’t possibly compare ourselves to them because we don’t know their hearts.

~Mary Jo Jackson