TITLE: OVERCOMING BEING COMPARED TO OTHERS

TITLE: OVERCOMING BEING COMPARED TO OTHERS

SCRIPTURE:

“An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.” The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.”  (John 3:25-31 NIV)

OBSERVATION:

         An argument developed between John’s disciples and a certain Jew about ceremonial washing.  Arguments often leads to many topics.  It was with this one.  The argument led to a topic of comparison.  John’s disciples and a certain Jewish man came to him and said, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

         How do we handle the issue of comparison?  How do we feel about others saying someone is better than you?  These folks, said to John, Hey, look, the man who was with you, and the one you testified about, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him. 

         It is like someone would come to me and said, Talo, the guy that was interning under you, and you trained, is doing way better than you.  Or the church over there is doing so much better than and is growing than your church.  How do we handle comparison.

         I am encouraged by John’s response to their question.  Many people are insecure about being compared to someone else.  John here gave us some principles of how to respond to comparison.

§  A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.  In other words, we must be confident in doing what we are gifted with.  We do not need to be someone else.  We are gifted to be us and to do the things we can do with the abilities we have been given and gifted with.  Don’t try to run someone else race.  Run your race.

§  You must know who you are.  John told them, you have heard me said it before and testify, that I am not the Messiah, but the one who is sent ahead.  So many times our insecurity arises from not knowing who we are.  We must accept our limitations and our strengths and what we are gifted to do.

§  The bride belongs to the bridegroom.  John knew who Jesus was.  And people are where they are supposed to be with him.  John, rejoices as a friend of the bridegroom.  When John heard that the people were there, he rejoiced, because that is why he came.  He did not come for himself but for the Jesus.

§  Celebrate the fulfillment of your assignment.  John says, that joy is mine and it is now complete.  John has fulfilled his purpose.  He did not try to be the Messiah, nor to be compare to him but to do what he came to do.

§  He must increase and I must decrease.  Humility is essential in the life of a believer.  Everything I do is not about me, but about Jesus who called me and send me to do his will.  If I am called to do small work, then I must pour in all of my heart, soul and strength to do the small work.  It doesn’t matter the size of what I must do.  Just do it.

§  Lastly, the cure for my insecurity is to know that everything I do, there is someone else that will always be better, be more and be wiser than I am.  John said, The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.”

APPLICATION:

         I learned today to always run my race.  Never pay attention to comparison.  I must be humble and know it is not about me, but about Christ.  I must learn to have my identity in whom Christ called me to be and to do.  I want to live my life in humility and to give credit to whom credit is due.  I am not someone else, nor someone else has to be like me.  I am gifted differently from heaven and so are others.

PRAYER:

         Heavenly Father, please help me to be humble and to run the race you have set before me.  Help me to find my identity in you and to walk with you in humility.  Help me to decrease so that you may increase in me.  I look to you daily, Amen!