Comparison is the Thief of Joy

Comparison is the thief of joy. It is a quote attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States. Tonight the sermon was on the concept of comparison, with the question "Am I Worthy?" "Am I good enough?" In the age of social media with facebook, youtube, and instagram, it is very easy to look at so many different people in our social bubbles as well as celebrities and wonder why I haven't got the same possessions, job or family or body figure. It has been magnified by the fact that people only generally show the best parts of their lives, and not the struggles or nuances in life. When we compare ourselves to other people especially those we don't really know, it has an effect on us psychologically. It has led to a rise in anxiety such as the fear of missing out (fomo) as well as depression. It can steal our joy as we think that those people have it together and it can become a burden. It is an unhealthy type of comparison. This state of mind has not left the church either, where interestingly this type of comparison can have two very different effects. The first is when we are comparing to others within the church, while it is important and good to have role models, it can slip very quickly into the unhelpful state. "Why do they have all the gifts and not me?" "Why are they able to preach so well?" As said in the sermon, it can make us think we have less value but it also in effect takes our eyes of Jesus. Unhealthy comparison can have the opposite effect, and it reminds me of a conversation I recently had with a non-believer. He said on the lines of "I don't need God because I already do good works." Pride and this can be the same in the church, if you are doing a lot of good works whether it is feeding the homeless, leading bible studies, involved in impact groups, giving our time or money to charity, it can give us a sense of pride and we can easily look around and say at people who might not be involved as much and say "Look at what I can do." In both cases we have taken our eyes of Jesus and forgotten that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Our eyes should be fixed on Jesus as he is "the perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2) so when we compare ourselves to Jesus, that it is by his grace and mercy that we are welcomed as his children with all our flaws. When people do show amazing gifts whether that is preaching, teaching or being a servant whether that is being hospitable, being able to play music, instead of unhelpful and unhealthy comparrison we should rejoice in their gifts as all of us make up the body of Christ.