Verse of the Day - Galatians 6:4

Each person should judge his own actions and not compare himself with others. Then he can be proud for what he himself has done. ~ Galatians 6:4 (NCV)

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In the business world, benchmarks are a way of measuring performance, standards which are set to qualify excellence in a particular field. It's like the pole vault in track and field -- keep raising the bar to reach new heights.

But the comparison game is different. Instead of measuring our lives against the Word of God, we want to compare ourselves against other people, as if Mr. and Mrs. Jones are the end-all of personal and/or spiritual living. I say, only as they measure up to the benchmarks of God.

But you've got to get into God's Word before you can know what His standards are. Often, our idea of spiritual excellence is based on human legalism, and we become enslaved to a list of rules and potentially become a holy legend in our own mind. Ouch.

What should I bring to the Lord when I bow down before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt gifts, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with 10,000 rivers of oil? Should I give my first-born to pay for not obeying? Should I give the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? O man, He has told you what is good. What does the Lord ask of you but to do what is fair and to love kindness, and to walk without pride with your God?
~ Micah 6:6-8 (NLV)

...to do what is fair and to love kindness, and to walk without pride with your God.

Those are pretty plain-and-simple benchmarks to compare ourselves with, don't you think? Simple, but not easy. God's standards require a radical reorientation of our heart...

~ Seeking justice for the opressed and refusing to take advantage of people for our own gain...

~ Purposefully showing mercy and love to others...

~ Being in an active, honest relationship with God, recognizing fully who we are and who He is, and being okay with that.


When we play the comparison game, the competition is against others, not the bar. The focus is on us and our ego, and not God and our relationship with Him. Not good.

Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. Set your sights on the bar God raises...and don't worry about what everyone else is up to.

Love,
Joelene