THE EFFECTS OF COMPARISON.
“Effects” can be defined as the results or consequences that are produced by specific cause or action. They are direct outcomes of an action or actions.
“Comparison” is using someone else’s life as a measure or to judge your own value, calling , progress and your blessing instead of using God’s Word or purpose for you.
Scriptures say” 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.”2 Cor 10:12.
Comparison can still be defined as the act of examining two or more things to identify their similarities and differences. It is a fundamental cognitive tool used to evaluate options.
The effects of comparison can be explained or described as the result or consequences that are produced when you measure or judge your own value, achievements or blessings with others.
Comparison can be upward or downward.
Upward comparison is using those that you think are better off than you to measure your achievements and downward comparison is using those that you think are worse off than you to measure your achievements. Upward comparison can cause bitterness and ill feelings while downward comparison can lead to arrogance and pride. It may boost contentment making you to feel superior to others. It triggers pride in one or resentments toward others. Comparison has merits and demerits, the totality of both are the effects they cause.
Some of the effects are:-
Coveting-Exo 20:17.
Discontent- Heb13:5.
Distraction from calling-Jh 21:22
Envy-Pro14:30.
Ingratitude-1Thess5:18
Jealousy.Lk15: 29-30.
Pride-Lk 18:11-12.
The Bible says in Gal 6:4 “ Each one should test their own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to someone else.” But when you compare your self with others, you take your eyes off Jesus and off yourself and put them on other people. You forget that you are unique, distinct and that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by GOD. Ps 139:14. Comparison makes you ungrateful for God’s goodness and also breeds ingratitude for God’s blessings. You cannot appreciate God’s goodness while measuring your life against someone else. You tend to forget God’s grace and standard. GOD does not expect you to compare yourself with someone else because he fearfully, wonderfully and uniquely made you, and there is no duplicate of you. God’s plan for your life cannot be overturned by anybody. Think positively and become the best “you “ that you can positively be by the the help of the Holy Spirit.
Effects.
The effects of comparison are the results, damage or changes that happen in our hearts, minds and lives when we measure ourselves against other people. I am of the opinion that many people struggle with such.
Comparing yourself to others often leads to feelings of inadequacy, despair, envy and low esteem especially if you are comparing upwards. You see the success of others as your own failure instead of waiting on God’s timing. You have the feeling that you are behind and that you are not enough. It is a trap that triggers resentment towards others and it affects the way we perceive things.
It steals one’s joy and makes one underestimate God’s goodness and faithfulness in one’s life and it also blinds one of God’s grace upon one’s life. It makes you to not see anything to be thankful for. It is harmful to one’s ego and makes one see self as a failure.
If you are comparing downward, that is comparing yourself with people you presume you are better off, pride will set in, you think you are good enough, and you become so complacent.
Comparing yourself to others can sometimes motivate you to do better but it is often so discouraging if one is not able to achieve or meet up as a peer and it also tends to be more detrimental than beneficial.
It prevents one from focusing on Jesus and makes one resent God’s grace.
How can one avoid comparison?
*Rejoice with those rejoicing and celebrate other’s success and achievement.
*Focus on your own growth and goals.
*Build self - worth and remind yourself of your own value.
*Always say to yourself” My time is coming.” “My life is in God’s hand.”
*Trust in God’s timing and wait for it, for his timing is always the best.
*Focus on your calling, nurture your gift and remain faithful.
*Let your mantra be “I will never rest, until my good is better and my better is best.”And this will
enable you to focus on your self and on one else.
*Just look up to Jesus Christ as your standard.
*Have an understanding that when GOD blesses others, it does not affect your own blessings and it does not diminish you.
*Live a life of thanksgiving.
*Love others as you love yourself.
*Live a life of contentment.
Let us consider the effect of comparison on some characters in the Bible.
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector as narrated by Jesus Christ.-Lk18:9-14.
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector went to the Temple to pray. The Pharisee is a respected religious leader while the Tax Collector is viewed as a sinner and an outcast in Israel because of financial extortion. At the Temple the Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: And said “God, I thank you that I am not like other men - robbers, evildoers, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” Lk18:11-12. But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven , but beat his breast and said , “God,have mercy on me, a sinner.
The Pharisee exalted himself above all others and compared himself with them and looked down especially on the tax collector. He was full of pride, exhibited self righteousness and was spiritually arrogant. He thought that fasting twice weekly and giving a tenth of all he got made him holier and more spiritual. Instead of praying to GOD, acknowledging his weaknesses and sin and asking for mercy, he exalted himself and looked down on others. The tax collector humbled himself and acknowledged that he was a sinner and asked God to have mercy on him. He did not compare himself with anybody, he focused on God and asked for mercy and he went home justified before God.
And of course the Bible says in Pro 28:13” He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” So Jesus pronounced “I tell you that this man that is -the tax collector, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled , and he who humbles himself will be exalted. The tax collector went home justified, forgiven and right before God rather than the Pharisee. The Pharisee went home without receiving anything from God as a result of comparison he made which led him to pride , self righteousness and spiritual arrogance.
Another example to consider is the Parable of the workers in the Vineyard as narrated by Jesus Christ.-Matt20:1-15.
Early in the morning the landowner went out to hire men to work in his vineyard and he agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. At about the third hour, sixth hour,ninth hour, he hired and sent them to the vineyard respectively and said “I will pay you what ever is right.”Matt 20:4. Again and finally, he went out at the eleventh hour and found still others standing around for no one has hired them since morning and he sent them to go work in his vineyard. When evening came, he asked his foreman to pay the workers their wages beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.” The eleventh hour workers received a denarius but when those hired first received a denarius, they began to grumble against the landowner. Even though they agreed to a denarius when they were hired, they became disgruntled and displeased after comparing their hours of labour to those hired later especially the eleventh hour workers.
The comparison drawn by the first set of workers fueled their dissatisfaction, causing them to grumble against the landowner. They perhaps would have gone home happy and thanked GOD for giving them strength to work in the vineyard and earned a denarius at the end of the day but for the comparison drawn they went home displeased, discontent and disgruntled.
Brethren,let us avoid measuring or comparing our self with others by looking down on the perceived flaws of others or achievement of others as our failure or weakness.The Pharisee thought he was morally better off and spiritually superior to others. The first set of workers even though agreed on a denarius when hired thought they deserved more simply because others who came after them were paid equally.
Brethren, GOD never told you to live somebody else’s life but to live the life he has given you. The scriptures say “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” You are special and unique, therefore live a life of contentment and concentrate on yourself and not on others.
Prayer.
Father, help me to avoid the spirit of comparison. Open my eyes to the unique blessings you have placed in my life, and grant me the spirit of contentment. When I am tempted to look at what others have and have achieved, remind me that your grace is entirely sufficient for me. Help me to trust in your timing and focus on you. Lord, let me be able to count my blessings, name them one by one, to see what you have done for me.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
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