Messed Up People

"....so let's be done with the comparison game. Let's be done with constantly fighting for the higher moral ground to stand on and look down on everyone else. Let's be done with thinking we can actually earn something that is impossible to earn. Let's stop trying to be perfect and righteous because those are not the people God is looking for. God is looking for people who can admit their needs and surrender to a Savior, because if the Bible is any indication, it doesn't matter how messed up you are.If you love him, he can and will use you."

            -Jefferson Bethke, Jesus > Religion, page 90

Comparative Danger

 Pride kills, and comparing ones-self to anyone but Jesus leads to pride. From a post by Ryan Huguley:

Pride is the feeling you experience when you compare yourself to someone else and deem yourself better than they could ever be.

So, I compare myself to another Christian and think, “I’m so much more holy then they are. I love Jesus far more than they do.” I compare myself to another father and think, “I’m a way better dad than that guy. I play with my kids, I’m sensitive to their needs, and I make them a priority. He doesn’t do any of that.” I compare myself to another pastor and think, “I’m so glad I preach better than that guy. I’m glad my theology is superior to his. I’m glad I love lost people more than he does. I’m making disciples far more effectively than he ever will.”

See what I mean? Comparing ourselves to others leads to one of two evils – despair, or pride.
S0 we need to stop comparing ourselves to other Christians, husbands, wives, moms, dads, pastors, friends, brothers, sisters, co-workers, and classmates. Instead, we need to start comparing ourselves to one person – JESUS.

When I compare myself to Jesus one thing becomes clear – He is perfect and I am not.  But the good news of the gospel is this…

“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

The gospel kills our pride and destroys our despair. Jesus frees us from the need to compare ourselves to others.

Remember - "...when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding." (2 Cor. 10:12 ESV)