Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.
Galatians 5:25-26 MSG
Don’t you just love that last sentence? “Each of us is an original.” We aren’t cookie-cutter people. God created each of us…uniquely. Not one of us is exactly like another. My DNA is not your DNA. We are each “you-nique”.
Living in Wisconsin, our average winter produces snowfall 70% of the days. That’s a lot of snow. (I know it’s in the heat of summer right now, but I wanted to cool you off! Ha!) But God has reminded me that each snowflake is an original. Not one is identical to the other. Each a snowflake, but each a unique, one-of-a-kind snowflake. Just like our fingerprints. One-of-a-kind! Only the infinite mind of God could do that. I stand amazed, once again, at His creation.
Well, if I can respond, in awe, to snowflakes and fingerprints, how much more should I see and appreciate the uniqueness in each of us. Instead of comparing you to me…I will appreciate “how fearfully and wonderfully made” (from Psalm 139) you are. Just like me, but uniquely you!
So my focus is not to compare you to me, but to appreciate the way God formed you. This way I won’t think I am better than you or you are better than me. I will have a healthy response to God’s marvelous creation…YOU and ME!
All kinds of people uniquely made in His image. After all, Paul reminds us, that we have “far more interesting things to do with our lives” than to sit and compare ourselves with each other.
So how then shall we live? By the Spirit. We have made a choice. We have decided to follow Jesus. That means the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in each of us—not just so we can say He lives in us and “I am a Christian” but He makes a real difference in the WAY we live. Every detail of our lives should be controlled by the Spirit.
Then and only then will “you stop comparing yourself with each other as if one of us is better and the other worse”. He has far more interesting things for us to do!
