Good or bad, like it or not, we compare ourselves with others. We are told not to, but we do it anyway. It’s true at any age. As preschoolers we compare finger paintings and as adults we compare jobs and houses. The school years are perhaps the worst. The pressure is on to make the grades, look the best, be the strongest, or show the most talent. Those of us who don’t seem to measure up end up feeling like second-class citizens. We know we shouldn’t compare ourselves with others but it’s hard to avoid when we get the lowest grade on the test or when we cross the finish line last.
Of course the mistake we’re making should be obvious. We are prizing what the world treasures, not the Lord. After all, academic honors go to those with the highest grades, popularity goes to those with the looks and personality, trophies are awarded to the most athletic, and those with talent receive the applause. Even parents can sometimes make the mistake of making their children think their value is based on their report card. But is our value really based on such things?
Who does the Lord applaud? Who will be awarded everlasting trophies? We read in Luke how an argument started among the disciples as to which of them might be the greatest. They were doing what we do - comparing themselves with themselves. But Jesus had a better basis of comparison. He took a child and stood him by His side, and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great." He said, "the greatest among you shall be your servant.” Evidentially, the disciples didn’t get it, so he gave them a demonstration. He took a towel, washed their dirty feet, and told them, “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.”
So if we want to be something great for the Lord, we need to know it’s about humbling ourselves and becoming a servant. Our value to Jesus has nothing to do with the grades we make, how good we look, how many games we win, or how well we do in the school play. When all is said and done, it’s the servant that wins the prize.
Servants work hard at serving. They aren’t apathetic in how they serve. They serve their master with gusto. Paul writes in Colossians 3, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” We may say, “But I don’t have what it takes to serve the Lord.” There we go again, comparing ourselves with others. The Lord said to serve Him heartily, not expertly. The Lord chose the disciples because of their lack of ability, not their ability. Paul said, “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.”
Servants may not be the best at what they do. They only need to be willing to serve and have their eyes fixed on their master, not others around them. The next time we want to compare ourselves with others, let’s compare ourselves with those that have a heart to serve, not those that aced the last math test.
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