Saturday, December 29, 2007

On Comparison

When we compare ourselves to others we deprive ourselves of the freedom in originality.

Envy fails to give God credit for what He has and what He will do in our lives.

No two paths are alike. And if they are, one is not authentic.

Who are we to tell God what He can and cannot, what He will or will not do?

2 comments:

kddub said...

I agree, I like unique people that truly embrace who they are. As far as comparison goes, it's hard not to do that, but I do think it's important not to. I think that there will always be someone doing something better than I am, or differently.
We were made to be different from each other, and different is good. Why aren't we, as humans, comfortable with being different? It seems like we are afraid to be original, or it is at least a rare quality. It would be so much more entertaining if we could all just be ourselves. say what we are thinking, knowing there is no comparison happening, just people being who they are.

FancyPants said...

Why aren't we, as humans, comfortable with being different?

It seems to me, that many people, especially in our generation, appreciate a unique individual. Comparison that I notice the most: people become very uncomfortable when their decisions don't match their neighbors. OR we become scared when our past doesn't match our neighbor's, even more so, our competitor's.

Discouragement comes from looking at someone else's life and comparing what they have to what I have. Whether it be their "path to success" or their material possessions or their gifts. ESPECIALLY if my gifts are LIKE their gifts.

And then there's the judgement cast toward others who take a different path...maybe they don't go to college. Maybe they switch careers at the age of 45. Or those that live in fear because they WANT to change careers at 45, but no one else in their neighborhood has done that, so surely they shouldn't, right? No. Wrong. So many times, it's comparison that keeps us from moving forward.