By EEW Magazine Online // Spiritual

Who wore it best? Who is the highest paid? The most beautiful? The ideal body type? The most educated? The most influential? The most celebrated? The world poses these questions and answers them based on various subjective factors.

But we must never take the bait and begin comparing ourselves to others and measuring our self-worth by a false set of standards. It is important to embrace your uniqueness while celebrating others without malice, jealousy, envy, and without feeling diminished in any way.

Spiritually mature and healthy women know, when others shine, it doesn’t dim their light. God’s creation is beautifully diverse, and there is more than enough room for everyone. Keep in mind that the blueprint for your life isn’t the same as anyone else’s. This reminder will help you avoid the pitfall of comparison.

Though it is perfectly fine and normal to admire the positive attributes of others – and even be inspired and influenced by people we look up to – it is unhealthy to compare. Here are 3 reasons why.

#1 Everything about you suits your purpose. “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

You are a masterpiece created by the Master for a specific reason, and you are amazing the way you are. Whatever you need to fulfill the will of God is already built in, so God can use your uniqueness to do what you have been assigned to do on earth. Why waste time comparing yourself to someone whose purpose is totally different from yours? To reiterate, you already have everything you need. Be content and grateful for the way God made you.

#2 You are a piece of a larger puzzle. “He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” (Ephesians 4:16)

Imagine a body made up of all eyeballs, all toes, or all arms. The thought of that is absurd! Every limb, organ, blood vessel, and cell, though different, is necessary for the proper function of the body as a whole. As one of God’s children and a disciple of Jesus, you are a part of the Body of Christ. Your individual qualities and gifts are important. 1 Corinthians 12:4 explains, “But there are distinctions of gifts, but the same Spirit.” The Bible also says, every good and perfect gift we have comes from above (James 1:17). You’re a part of a bigger plan, a piece of larger puzzle. Play your position, and you will thrive.

#3 Comparison hinders love. In Mark 12:31, Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

If you’re always comparing yourself to your neighbor, envying them and being jealous, how can you show love? How can you lift them up? How can you obey the command of Philippians 2:3 that says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves”? The answer is, you can’t unless you reject the comparison game. Then you will see the beauty and value of others, be able to lift them up, and fill the world with love, thereby making your own beauty shine even brighter.

Comparison is a disease that eats away at self-esteem, erodes relationships, and creates toxic environments. Walking in love, practicing humility and being appreciative of who God uniquely made you to be is the cure.