observations on... comparison.



Confession.  One of my favorite things to do is people watch. 

 

Come on... admit it.  You do it too.  Don't leave me hanging, y'all.

 

You can imagine my amusement when I have a week of "observations" during student teaching.  During that week, I am the assistant to my teacher and just observe the teaching, strategies, and interactions between students.

 

Wanna know one of the most interesting things I've found?  5th grade girls have already begun the art of comparison. 

 

Comparing test scores, comparing ponytails, comparing crazy socks... you name it. 

 

Sadly, we, as adults, are guilty of it too.  And are probably the main source of where they learn comparison.  We compare careers, husbands, DIY projects, hair tutorials... dear God, it's just exhausting to write out the list.

 

As I watched these young girls, it absolutely killed me.  Young, full of potential, so much life ahead of them.

 

Then, as God normally does, he sent a sign my way in the form of this scripture.

 

Galatians 5 is one of my favorite chapters of the Bible.  I often turn to it just when I'm needing to read scripture.  To be honest, this verse had never caught my eye before.  It could be because it's the last verse of the chapter.  Or it could be because it hadn't spoken to me before.

"Let us not desire glory... provoking one another... envying one another."

Every single one of us are guilty of comparison, envy, jealousy.  It's a nasty thing.  I catch myself doing more than I'd like to admit.

Then it finally hit me.  Why can't we just be happy for one another?

Why do we constantly feel like we have to be better than the other?

Why don't we just enjoy where we're at in life... and not be jealous of where somebody else is?

"Comparison is the thief of joy." 

How true is that?

Upon seeing these observations within these young girls, I have begun to seriously pray for God to take away the envy that I too often feel.  It is only robbing myself of my happiness.  My joy.

I've read several articles recently on how social media has only enhanced our feelings of envy and jealousy.  And while I have no doubt that our modern-day society has influenced our mastery of comparison, I also know that it's no excuse.

Do you often feel this way?!

I hope I'm not alone in this struggle.  I hope you'll join me in my journey to rid myself of comparison.