I can tell myself each and every day of the week, month, or year that I am better than someone else, but I will never equal the perfection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That’s not to say that I shouldn’t try to be better, but to compare myself, and possibly even convince myself that I am better than someone else, is not very productive nor is it useful to anyone. Jesus has set the bar exceptionally high, and I believe He is our perfect example of how we should live our lives, how we should treat others, and in many ways, how we should treat ourselves.
1 Peter 4:8-10 (NKJV)
8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
I am sure that we all have those we look up to, and possibly admire, but we need to be careful where we place our admiration, devotion, as well as our focus. During my life I have seen those led astray due to peer pressure, wanting to be accepted into some group, wanting to belong to some cause, some organization, or even led astray by someone they cared about. They let their momentary lack of righteous judgement point them in a direction that could end up being difficult to recover from. And no, I am not saying it is impossible to change directions and right the ship so to speak, but a hardened heart or dull conscience takes effort to correct or overcome.Ephesians 2:1-10 (NKJV)
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
If I think to myself that I am better than someone else, I believe that I am judging them as if I have the wisdom, awareness, and authority to do so. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, I should try to be better, but I cannot focus on myself when I am focusing on or judging others.
Luke 6:37-38 (NKJV)
37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”