Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:00 — 4.1MB)
Have you ever realized that the practice of comparing yourself to others will easily lead you into the sin of envy and jealousy? Jesus taught Peter this important lesson of not comparing himself with others, and we can learn from Peter.
You remember when Jesus told Peter that he had plans to use him mightily, but also informed him that he would be required to suffer for the Lord. He prophesied that Peter would die a difficult death in order that God would be glorified.
Peter’s first reaction was to compare himself to John, and he asked Jesus, “What about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me?” (John 21:21b-22).
How often do we do the same thing? When things are tough for us, we tend to think, “Well, what about John? John’s no better than me. Don’t I deserve a break today, Lord?”
What we have to recognize is that God is sovereign and he does as he pleases. It is his prerogative to lead each of us in whatever paths he chooses. When we start looking at others and thinking they’ve got it easy and we’ve got it hard, then we’re in for trouble. That is envy; that is lack of trust; that is sin.
When I find myself falling into this pattern of wondering why I can’t have things as easy as others, I try to immediately remember what Jesus said to Peter, and I say to myself: “What is that to you, Mary? It’s none of your business how God chooses to treat other people. Your job is simply to obey the Lord so that he will be glorified in your life.”
Let’s agree that by God’s grace we’ll stop this very harmful practice of comparing ourselves, and learn to be thankful for who we are and how God has blessed us. It is a truth that will set us free, free to be all that God has planned for us to be instead of being crippled by the sinful practice of comparing ourselves to others.