Welcome to Joni and Friends. I'm Joni Eareckson Tada.
Thanks for joining me for these few minutes. It always means a lot that you take time out of your busy schedule just to hear what’s on my heart. And I will tell you what I'm hearing a lot of lately – I’m hearing people competing and comparing. Christians know that it's wrong to compare, yet we find ourselves doing what our culture has so many others doing – we measure our own success, our appearance, our value, our abilities – we measure ourselves up against our neighbors, even friends at church. And the result is so much stress and frustration. Our culture has more measurements than you can shake a yardstick at, and we struggle to avoid coming out on the losing end as we compare our lot in life with others.
I certainly see it among people who have serious health problems. So many women I know in wheelchairs really struggle to “keep up” with their able-bodied friends, especially where it concerns appearance. And several of my single girlfriends in wheelchairs still feel like they’re missing out as they look at their able-bodied peers who are married and have kids. And, hey, you don’t even have to be disabled. I mean, you could be perfectly healthy and quite attractive; but maybe you, too, as a single person struggle with inferiorities when you’re with women at church who are married or raising their families. There’s a deadly trap in comparing our lot in life to others.
Peter had the same problem. Listen to this little scene in John 21. It says there, “Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following. When Peter saw him, he asked, ‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.’” Now here’s what went down: Jesus had just revealed that Peter would be led to a martyr's death, but not a word had been spoken about John. Obviously, when Peter sized up the situation, John appeared to be getting a better deal. And so Peter points at John and blurts out, “Well, Lord, what about him?” Now when you read it closely, the answer Jesus gives was shocking. Because he allowed Peter no room to indulge, no luxury of self-pity. In effect Jesus said to Peter, “Look, if it is my will that John lives until I come again, what is that to you? What I have planned for John is not your business. Peter, get your eyes off him and follow me.” Pretty harsh words for a man facing martyrdom, don’t you think? But the Lord knew the greater devastation of competing and comparing.
Because you see, at the root of comparing yourself to others is envy. And what does Proverbs 14:30 say? “Envy rots the bones.” Another translation puts it this way: “A relaxed attitude lengthens life, but jealousy rots it away.” You see, when we are relaxed in our own skin, when we’re okay with who we are and our station in life, we’re content. We’re satisfied. And nothing feels better than to let others be others. Let God do whatever in their life. You are content with what he’s doing with you, and that’s all that counts. Friend, I have a little booklet called simply “Guidance” that I would like to send you today, and it covers important aspects of God's will for your life that will help you to refrain from comparing your lot in life to others. Just visit my radio page at joniaradio.org, and ask for your free copy of the booklet “Guidance.” Again, that’s joniradio.org. And until next time, keep your eyes off of others right on Jesus, and envy will be a thing of the past.
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