Judges 6:11-32 (NLT)
(Click here to read the whole passage.)
14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”
15 “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”
16 The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”
I have been very blessed to befriend amazing people over the years. Some of those friends are extremely talented musicians and songwriters; others are great cooks who regularly bless people with their hospitality. Some are killing it in their careers; others are spiritual and wise beyond their years and offer great advice. Others are incredible parents. My closest friendships have always been with people I admire and I consider that a huge blessing.
However, on my bad days, I sometimes find myself slipping into the comparison trap if I’m not careful or if I’m spending too much time on Instagram.
Comparison is garbage. It’s a lie. It looks at others’ strengths and says, “I’m not ______ enough.”
Another person who struggled with comparison is Gideon:
15 “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”
Gideon was called to do great things for God, but looked at other tribes and family members and disqualified himself.
Have you ever done that? Have you ever looked at someone who is doing something similar to what God has called you to do (in ministry, career or parenting) and concluded, “I’m not ____ enough for the job.”
I have good news… God’s response to Gideon and to us is: “I will be with you.”
The pressure is off. It’s not about us and our strength. It never was. We weren’t designed to gain glory, we were designed to give it. If God asks us to do something and we feel inadequate, it’s our opportunity to depend on Him. We can allow His strength to shine through our weaknesses.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)
"Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me."
When the pressure is off, we no longer have to measure up to someone else’s standard. We were all created uniquely so comparing ourselves to each other is like comparing a fish to a monkey. I love the Albert Einstein quote that says, “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” The way you express creativity, parent, set goals, cook, or spend time with the Lord is not going to look the same as me and that’s a wonderful thing. We all have a unique part to play in God’s story.
I want to make a habit of cheering on my talented friends because each of us has something unique to offer the world. Let’s learn from each other as we allow God to shine through our weaknesses.
REFLECTION: What are some practical ways that we can fight the comparison trap?