Comparison Creeps In
1 Corinthians 12:14-18 (MSG) —
‘If Foot said, 'I’m not elegant like Hand, embellished with rings; I guess I don’t belong to this body,' would that make it so? If Ear said, 'I’m not beautiful like Eye, transparent and expressive; I don’t deserve a place on the head,' would you want to remove it from the body? If the body was all eye, how could it hear? If all ear, how could it smell? As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it.’
I hope I’m not the only one who looks at what others are doing in life, or the gifts they’ve been blessed with or even the personality traits that they hold and thinks: 'Why can’t that be me?' It’s scary how quickly our gaze can shift away from Jesus and suddenly we’re looking to the left and right of us. Comparison has crept in.
When I find myself caught in a comparative thought spiral, I know prayer is the only thing powerful enough to pull me out. As I bring the thoughts to God, I will often hear the kind whisper of his voice saying: ‘Soph, I made you ON PURPOSE.' And in that moment, I’m reminded that our God isn’t one for making mistakes.
If we trust in who God is, and his ability to create good things on purpose and for a purpose, then we can trust that we’ve been designed and crafted in just the right way. All the things that make us who we are, are of great value and worth and can be used in God’s kingdom.
I love the example in this passage of the eye comparing itself to the foot. You can see that when comparing, these two body parts look totally different and serve completely different purposes. Yet, we’d all agree that both parts are absolutely necessary.
If we all looked the same or had all the same gifts, talents and skills as ‘that person' then the body would be lacking; it would be missing vital parts that God needs and has intentionally designed and placed within his body of people.
Prayer – God, I’m sorry for where I’ve compared myself with others. I pray that you would help show me who I am in you and help me celebrate the things I’ve been created for.