inspire: Comparison.
"an examination of two or more items to establish similarities and dissimilarities";
"to denote different levels of quality, quantity, or relation"
Why do we compare?
. Identity
. Security
. Happiness
Making idols of things other than God
- when comparisons start to be made, it exposes what is in our hearts
.... alarm bells should start to ring as a warning to oneself
(Genesis 30/35: the very thing Rachel longed for ended up destroying her)
Dealing with comparison in a godly way:
Awareness: Do you feel jealous? or proud? ...
- - What about feeling defiant at comparisons being levelled at you?
- not of your own choosing or seeking?
The 'examination' aspect as defined above; put to work positively:
not so much 'why not me?' so much as 'how can I be better at...?'
Finding peace with differences,
Acknowledging that each person is unique,
That we stand in contrast to each other.
. Identity in Christ:
1 John 1:18 "And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession";
.Gal 2 v.20: the hairs of your head - that's how loved we are
. James 1 v. 7 everything we are & have is a gift from God, through & from God's grace
... to draw comparison is like wishing away God's good grace & gifts
. Christ's example:
Philippians 2 v.3 - 11 being, in very nature, God, he humbled himself