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“It Is About Growth And Not Comparison”
It Is About Growth And Not Comparison
Wade Webster
For the next few weeks, we will be discussing some things that we have learned or can learn about worship from the gym. In the first lesson, we noticed that we usually feel better afterwards. In the second installment, we noticed that going helps us make better choices. In this third installment, we will notice that it is about growth and not comparison.
I am middle-aged. There, I said it. I’m not proud of it. It just is what it is. When I go to the gym, I drop the middle and just feel aged. Many of the people at the gym are younger than me. I see those who are younger than me doing things that I can no longer do. I see them running on the treadmill. I mean running like the six-million-dollar man. Lee Majors? Doesn’t ring a bell? I guess that reference proves that I’m old. I can’t run anymore. At least, not very fast, not for very long, and certainly not on successive days. My knees and my ankles (and, possibly my heart) can’t take it. They snap, crackle, and pop. They swell (and, not with pride). I have to take a longer, less-impactful approach to the treadmill. I have learned that slow and steady wins the race. Okay, it doesn’t win the race, but it keeps me in the race; and for me, that’s a win. I watch the younger guys do multiple sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups. Oh, what it would be like to be young again. Middle-aged guys like me still do sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups; however, they are usually reserved for getting out of bed, out of a chair, or up from the table. Don’t laugh. Your time is coming. In addition to those younger than me at the gym, I see those older than me. I see those who don’t even try to get on the treadmill anymore. Their cardio is getting from the car to the gym. Their strength training involves the lowest weight on the machine. They move the weight only a few inches and only a few times. Although they can’t do much, they are still doing what they can. Compared to them, I am doing well. Compared to the younger people, I am not doing so well. The better comparison is to those of my own age, and even there I don’t really distinguish myself. I remind myself not to get encouraged or discouraged by comparisons. I remind myself that I am not competing with others. I am just trying to improve myself from week to week.
The apostle Paul declared, “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you. For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ; not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment. But “he who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends” (2 Cor. 10:12-18). The Corinthians were unwisely comparing themselves to themselves. Sometimes, these comparisons produced envy, sometimes pride, and other times, false security. The fact that they were better than someone else didn’t mean they were okay. The fact that they were worse than someone didn’t mean they should throw in the towel. Rather than comparing themselves to each other, they should have been comparing themselves to Christ. After all, we are not told to be like other Christians, we are told to be like Christ. We are told to think like (Phil. 2:5), forgive like (Col. 3:12), love like (John 13:34-35), forbear like (Col. 3:12), and walk like Christ (1 John 2:6). Rather than comparing ourselves to others, we need to simply measure our own growth from week to week. Are we gaining stamina? Are we increasing in strength? If we are, then that is the growth that we are looking for in our lives.
As we get ready to worship this week, let’s not compare ourselves to other worshippers. Let’s push ourselves to be the best that we can be. Let’s push ourselves to grow a little each week in our relationship to God.
