At the end of His ministry, Jesus was preparing two of His top disciples, John and Peter, for his departure. Jesus told Peter, “Follow me.” Peter (perpetually A.D.D.) looked at John and said, “What about him?” (John 21:21)
Jesus replies, “What is that to you? You must follow me.”
All human beings are prone to fall in the comparison trap that Peter fell into. We got our directive from the Lord, “Follow me” and then we look at a friend who is on a different life track and we compare, in the process taking our focus off of Jesus and wavering. If we entertain the temptation to compare for very long, we can become seriously disoriented and lose sight of Jesus altogether.
That is why reading magazines like “People” or “Us” or even certain Christian magazines that focus on one-dimensional celebrities featured in glitzy seminars can be corrosive to our soul. We look at how attractive they are, how glorious their faith story and apparent success and we say, “What about him?”
Jesus’ response is always the same, “What is that to you? You must follow me.”
When we look at others to try and get our bearing, we take our eyes off Jesus and the path he has given us to walk. It’s one of the devil’s oldest traps, one which we would do well to avoid.
hey!! that was really awesome!! you are a good writer ( if you wrote that ) you really made me think ……well im going to 6th grade just about the number one grade where everybody cares what you look like! just a few weeks ago i decided i wanted to be a missionary and the only thing i was struggling with was being different at school because i care alot of what other people think about me, and this article really made me think and made me happy so i want you to know you helped somebody and that somebody is me.
alex
brilliant – best little nugget I’ve heard in a while – thanks, Tony!
I so agree with this! I just finished reading C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters” and when Wormwood (the voice of the temptors to a learning ‘gentledevil’) talks about comparisons, and that tool as a way to keep us from how our Designer made us, it rang a loud gong in my head. We are different parts of His body, on purpose with unique strengths, weaknesses, giftings and areas for growth. And, looking at Tony’s noteSO true. May Yahweh forgive us and continually equip us to use His eyes (and standards) towards ourselves and others…
THANK YOU!! I go to a church where many of the women wear their spirituality like a set of fine pearls in a “look what I have and how wonderful it is” way. I have been a Christian for MANY years – but recently began to doubt my salvation because of comparing. I thought, “If THAT is what Christianity looks like – then I haven’t got it!” God revealed to me that I am to walk out my personal relationship with Him with fear and trembling.
Comparing is SO dangerous!! When the 10 out of 12 Isrealite spies compared themselves – it kept them out of the promised land. God wanted to use their weakness for His glory. God wants to use us in all of our weakness for HIS glory – not ours. Thanks for writing this – it is further comfirmation toward what God is working on with me.
Hey,
That was a truly inspiring story, even though I am not of christian faith I believe in Jesus. Such a simple story to depict the principle of being yourself.
Thank you
Consider the progression of American magazines:
Time
Life
People
Us
Self
Anyone else notice a pattern?