Comparison

Imagine viewing the world through the eyes of a child.
So innocent…so pure…so trusting.
We can learn much from them.

I remember reading years ago about the way children see themselves at various ages.

Ask a room filled with preschoolers…Who can draw?
Every hand will go up!
Who can sing?
Every hand.
Who can dance?
Hands in the air.

There is nothing they can’t do!
It is wonderful!

Somewhere between preschool and early elementary school, children view themselves differently…as they begin to compare themselves to others.

If you ask older children the same questions…only a few hands will go up.
Ask again, and eyes will dart around the room…seeing who can…and who can’t!

When did the children learn to doubt their ability?
When did they start to compare themselves to others?
When did they see themselves as somehow lacking?

The same children…a year or two ago, said they were the best…they could do it.
Now, they see themselves as inferior.
They have an I don’t know if I can do it attitude!

How did that happen?

Fear!
Fear of failure.
Fear of not measuring up.
Fear of not being accepted.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)

There is such a fine line between the two extremes.
Being sure of yourself and confident…and being boastful and arrogant.
The former is fine…the latter is not desirable.

We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us…Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.
(2 Corinthians 10:12,13,17)

That is the difference.
What is our measuring rod for comparison?
Is it God or man?

Ask a room full of adults the “who can?” questions.
Listen to the remarks made in response to their reply.

Oh, he is so sure of himself…he is a little too cocky for me…said in a disdainful tone.
Who does he think he is…tooting his own horn like that…said with a twinge of jealousy.
I feel so sorry for him…he is so quiet and awkward…said with false concern.

Is it any wonder no one speaks up and admits what they are capable of doing?

We all know someone who just doesn’t care what people think!
It is actually refreshing to find that kind of attitude.
That person marches to the beat of a different drummer.

Maybe that person is simply trying to please Someone else.
The only Someone that matters.

The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, ordered that young men from Israel be brought in.
They must be handsome, with no physical defect, they had to show aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace.
The king ordered that they receive a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table.

But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel. (Daniel 1:8,9)

The official was afraid that Daniel, and his three friends, would look worse than the other young men their age who were eating the king’s food and drinking his wine.

Please test your servants for ten days. Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see. So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
(Daniel 1:12-16)

Daniel would have been one with his hand in the air when asked the “who can?” question.
Daniel marched to the beat of a different Drummer.
Daniel knew the Someone he was trying to please.

Daniel didn’t need to compare himself to anything else but God’s standards.
He knew God’s perfect love…and he had no fear.

We need a new way of thinking.
Treasuring our gifted-ness…our uniqueness.
Not looking around…but looking up…for our approval.

Going along is not an option!
Swimming upstream just might be!