9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:
10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Luke 18:9-14
1) Never compare yourself with others to increase yourself
4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,
5 for each one should carry his own load.
Galatians 6:4-5
2) You are never to compare yourselves to others to decrease someone.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Ps. 139:14
Earthly comparisons kill
-- They take the focus from Christ and puts it on us.
-- They use an inaccurate scale
-- They cause other problems
1 Corinthians 11:1 “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ”
ALWAYS INCREASE CHRIST
In choosing to allow Christ to be the only standard in our lives, everyone loses, but also, everyone wins. It's a precious irony that God has woven into the fabric of the world...don't miss it.
