The Trap of Comparison

By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy of: Becca Tapert

"So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, 'Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray you?' When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, 'Lord, what about him?' 'If I want him to remain until I come,' Jesus answered, 'what is that to you? As for you, follow me'.” ~John 21:20-22

Our pastor made an excellent point when covering this passage one Wednesday night several months back. He showed that, truly, this passage is a most relevant and applicable one in our day in age of comparison, competition, and discontentment.

In verse 22, Jesus is speaking to Peter, answering Peter’s concern over God’s plan for John’s life compared to His plan for his own life. Peter is comparing, he’s competing, and he isn’t willing to just rest in whatever God’s plan for him might be. He isn’t willing to just tend the area God have given to him to be responsible for  He’s busy getting his nose into what God’s plan is for John, wanting to have his calling be what John’s calling is, and perhaps feeling upset that his life isn’t looking like John’s is.

Jesus answers him, “What is that to you? As for you, follow Me.”

Boy, what a word for us today!

How often do we look at someone else’s life calling, their platform size, their family size, their marriage, their job or ministry, their book contract, their house size, etc., and instantly begin grumbling over why their life is “better” than ours? Why is God blessing her more than me? Why does she have a more exciting life than I do?


Friends, we have to stop this (preaching just as much to my own heart over here!). We have to begin to know the character of God so well and thereby love and trust Him so much that we are no longer concerned with how someone else’s life is shaping up, but instead are only focused on the blessings and callings God has given us in our own lives, knowing that the story of our lives as they are right now are part of God’s big-picture plan and are best for us in the end. Focus on following Him, tend your God-given space, and let the comparison go. Because if you don’t, who will?