2 Corinthians 10:12 (Compare)

¹² We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.

Let me ask you, how do you compare?  When you think of yourself in any area, how do you rank?  If you're like me, you are probably tempted to compare yourself with the people around you...anything from weight, to hair, to athletic ability, to wealth, to debt, to possessions, to power, to righteousness.  Individually, we compare ourselves, do we not? 

Then, there's the group comparison.  A whole team can compare itself to another team, a political party compares itself to another political party, and a school compares itself to another school.

That's fine if God is not your standard.

But what about when a church compares itself to another church -- in giving, in attendance, in programs, or in the size of their buildings.  Or when a ministry compares itself to another ministry -- in volunteers or in production.

In this verse, written about 2,000 years ago, the comparisons are rampant.  Paul is still defending himself as an apostle because the "super apostles" are making sure that they always come out on top...but compared to what?  Compared to themselves.

That's like taking two ants living underground in an ant colony, and the largest one (by 0.11222 ounces) claims he is now officially the largest animal in the land!

As the verse above states, if we compare ourselves against ourselves, we are not wise.  

But we are like the ant when we compare ourselves to the people around us.  We don't even know what we are saying!   To us with such a greater perspective, the ant sounds absolutely foolish to make that claim!  And to God, with the greatest perspective, He says, "Oh, but dear one, you are completely missing the mark."

And so we are when we compare ourselves to anyone other than God who tells us to "be holy as I am holy."  HE is the standard.  No one else.

So then, that begs the question: How holy do you really want to be?

Because according to my unsaved friends, I might look pretty holy.  And I can feel really good and comfortable with that, all while I continue living in less-than-holy ways at times...because, I'm still better than so-and-so.

Holiness is not a check-list.  Holiness is an attitude of our hearts that says I am set apart for Your use, Lord, and I choose to stand apart from sin and evil so that I may be more like You.

If we're being different than or set apart from the world, we certainly can't compare ourselves with the world.  That would be unwise.

Wisdom comes from comparing ourselves to Jesus Christ.  He is our standard.  Period.

So, when I compare myself to Jesus Christ and to how He lived, well, then I suddenly don't feel like the largest animal in the land anymore.  Compared to Jesus, my pride falls away, I see how far I am from His standard, and I am overcome with my need for a Savior. 

And that's a good place to be.