We do it all the time. Or, so it seems. We measure ourselves against other people. We do it from a young age—“I’m almost as tall as mom.” And we keep on doing it throughout life—“We don’t have as much money as them…We are doing better in our marriage than them…I’m going to church more often than him…” The list goes on and on.
Is this a wise thing for us to do? Is this a healthy thing for us to do? Is this a productive thing for us to do? Perhaps, in some cases, there may be some motivation in comparing ourselves to others, but this is a practice that does us more harm than good. No doubt that is why the New Testament says, “But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (2 Cor. 10:12).
Our standard is the Lord (1 Pet. 2:24). Our pattern is the New Testament (2 Tim. 1:13). The one we are trying to please is the Lord (Heb. 11:6). Let us compare ourselves to Him!