In Comparison

I was reading a book several months and the author was explaining how comparing ourselves to each other is not wise. She made reference to II Corinthians 10:12, "When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves they are not wise." I had never noticed this verse in the bible before. As my week continued I was surprised by how often I used comparisons. I compared myself to other women, "Her hair is always so beautiful. Mine is pulled back all the time." "Her clothes are always so cute, way cuter then mine!" "I can't entertain guests as well as others. Why would they want to come to my house?" Then of course the mother in me compares my children to others. Especially when it comes to homeschooling. "I can't believe her 5yr old can read. My 5yr is still trying to figure out the alphabet. What am I doing wrong?" Or comparing our children to their siblings. "His/her sister did what I told her, why can't she/he." I learned that when I am using comparisons like these I am saying this thing or person I'm comparing to is the highest standard of measurement I know and I (or my children) need to measure up to this. Someone always comes up on top and can produce feelings of pride or false self worth in us. Someone also always comes out on bottom and makes us feel of little or no value or worth. As a Christian I know that the highest standard of measurement is God and His Word. My self worth comes from who I am in Christ, period! The world's values are backwards. "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight." I Corinthians 3:19a

The only measuring stick we should us is in what God's Word says about us and how we should live and act. God's way is the only way to go. He knows what's best for us. He created each of us with a specific plan and purpose. We need to go to Him and find out what that purpose is. He can also show us how to guide our children according to the purposes He has for them.

You are valuable in Christ.

Just because something doesn't look the same as everyone else doesn't mean it's not right. Now, we don't want to go to the extreme on this. Sometimes it is good to know a normal range of something. For example, it's good to know that by 18mths most children are walking. If your child isn't walking by then there may be a medical problem. Things like that are okay to have a standard.

Where we run into trouble is when we devalue ourself or someone else because we used a measuring stick other then what God says to use. We can sell ourselves short of God's plan by comparing ourselves to others or by trying to please people using their standard for us.

Mary's pregnancy with Jesus didn't look like anyone else's pregnancy, Moses didn't fit the profile of a leader, John-the-Baptist was different than any other young man, Jesus didn't look like the King the Jews were waiting for,… The list can go on and on, yet God did something amazing with each one. These people knew full well they were not "normal" yet they did not allow man's standards to stop them from experiencing the incredible destiny God had for them. Their willing and obedient hearts caused them to make a difference for God's kingdom. Settle for nothing short of what God has purposed you for.

Use God's measuring stick and when we seem to fall short of that, God can give us the ability to press on. Love the unlovely. Be made strong despite our weaknesses.

            

Bathtime

My two year old son had just gotten up from a nap and it was time for him to take a bath. I ran his bathwater and took him into the bathroom. When he saw the bath ready for him he said, “No mama.”

“Yep, it's time for a bath.” I said.

“No mama!” this time with a little more desperation.

“You'll be okay.” I said and started taking off his clothes. Then he just repeated, “No mama!” over and over getting louder the closer he got to getting in the tub. I put him in the bath anyway. He wouldn't sit down but stood as close to me as he could crying. He wasn't scared, he just was mad that he was taking a bath. I went ahead and washed his little body. When I got his hair wet he got even more upset. He would scream once in a while and cried harder. I quickly washed the hair on my uncooperative toddler and got him out of the tub. I wrapped him in a towel and held him for awhile to get him to calm down before dressing him.

 

Normally he likes his baths but for some reason today he didn't want one. Being the parent, I knew he needed one anyway. It made me think how we can be sometimes when God wants to clean us up. He wants to work on some area of our life but we say “No daddy!” Sometimes God cleans us up anyway because He knows we stink and He loves us to much to leave us like that. On our own we will stink at doing things right. With the cleansing blood of Christ though, we are made new and a beautiful fragrance to the Lord. Though we can be like a resistant toddler, our Heavenly Father cleans us up and holds us. We just need to trust Him. Trust that what He is doing is best for us. Trust that He loves us and allow Him to move us according to His perfect will. Whenever we fight God, it only makes things harder for ourselves. Let go and let God do what He is trying to do in your life. Even if you think that cleansing water feels like a cold place to be, God's will is best. He loves us and His plans are not to harm us but to give us life and freedom.  

Prayer for the body

With all the icky cold and flu sickness going around I've been praying a lot for everyone in my house to stay healthy and I've been praying for my friends who are sick. Praying for health for family and friends is a common prayer and a good one. It dawned on me that if I spent the same amount of time praying for the health of the body of Christ, the spiritual health of believers,... what kind of an outcome could that have for my city, state, nation and around the world? If even just 20 of us prayed that hard, what kind of impact would that have on those around us? I really believe if all us of would ban together and seriously pray for our cities, we would see revival in our towns and churches. The fire of the Holy Spirit would spread across this nation.

“...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” I Chronicles 7:14

I know this is not a new idea but for me personally it really put things into perspective. I worry so much about the body but how much am I seeking God for the health of the spirit for myself and others? How often do I stand in the gap for my children's spiritual health? How often do I pray feverently? Sure, I do pray some for that, here and there but I really feel I need to do more.

Our bodies are so temporary, what's done for the spirit lasts forever. Of course God cares about our bodies and we need to take good care of ourselves but we...rather let me preach to myself here...I need to keep a better balance between focusing on the body and focusing on the spirit. There certainly is a time for both. It's so easy to get wrapped in your own world when you're sick or been having some health problems like I have been the last few months. I need to look outside health issues and refocus on spiritual things.

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” II Corinthians 4:18

I know there are some people out there who are praying faithfully for the health of the Body of Christ. My hats off to you. Keep it up my dear prayer warriors. We need your faithful prayers. For those of who haven't been praying, I challenge us to do so even more. I know I pray for our nation pretty good when an election is coming up and sometimes a little afterwards too. After awhile though, my prayers for my country and it's leaders are a trickle at best. Let's not forget to continuously pray for God's Spirit to be poured out on this nation...and the world.