Who do you compare yourself with? Not a particular person in that sense, for that would be a form of emulation that could be considered narcissistic, you could look and behave as that person, but you will never become them. Instead, I mean a personality type, and in this case it would not necessarily be someone you admire. For if you are going to compare yourself to them, then by default you would be in competition with them, faults would need to be seen in either them or yourself.
“Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.” (Prov. 23:3)
Competition by its very nature must lead to a singular conclusion, there will be a winner and there will be a loser, and that word loser does not sit well in our conscience. And again, by necessity, the loser has two options, despise defeat and find all manner of destructive thought patterns within it, or accept it, and even in that acceptance two options are available. Remain downcast or exert more effort in yourself towards whatever it is that you are in competition against.
Recall the following account in context.
“They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.” (Mark 10:37)
The sons of thunder roared loudly that day, and those present saw it as competition against themselves.
I offer all of this for this particular point, I pray that you see it, contemplate it well, and consider it at length. The Almighty wants you to be just like He is in what can best be framed as certain of His attributes.
“Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1st Peter 1:16)
Who then would you compare yourself to, who, in this sense, are you in competition with? Do you desire to emulate Paul? I am going to presume many of you would, except of course for the beatings and imprisonments. Would you desire the stalworth faith of Job, months under the lash of pain and suffering along with it? If you want to be Christlike, are you prepared for a life of grief and sorrow?
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isaiah 53:3)
Be careful who you desire to compare yourself to.
Any man of God who the Almighty has chosen to draw closer to Himself will tell you the truth of the reason of James 3:1.
“My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”
The greatest sports stars, in their minds, are those who sit in the stands, those who watch from the comfort of their sofas and chairs. Put them on the field, and they will fail miserably.
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” (Phil. 2:3)
“And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.” (Mark 10:44)
Servants never compare themselves to their masters, that would be the epitome of foolishness and is a guaranteed path to pride.
The only person you should be in competition with is yourself.
To grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord demands it, to seek the face of God, to listen to the teachings of the Holy Spirit in your sanctification, to fight the battel against your fleshly desires. To see your own faults, yet not wallow in depression because of them, to acknowledge your growth in Christ, with no pride, giving all the glory to God. Recalling those times when you did not stand well against the wiles of our adversary and determining to stand by the strength of the Almighty the next time they appear.
Comparing yourself to someone else will inevitably reveal your inadequacies, or allow a doorway for pride to enter in.
Being in competition with yourself offers the greatest challenge, and the best opportunities to give God the glory for your growth in becoming who He wants you to be.
