Not Fair to Compare
Other countries are fascinating. There’s just something intriguing and special about a place halfway across the world. Although America and Australia are similar, I’m fascinated with America, and I hear it works the other way too.
During lockdown, my family and I started watching a show about America’s national parks. It sounds boring, I know. But it was presented in a fun way.
In one episode, the road they were driving on transitioned from bitumen (asphalt) to gravel. The gravel was smooth and without potholes, but one of the presenters said, ‘we’re four-wheeled driving!’
We all thought that was absolutely hilarious. The road was better than some of the highways where I live.
This was a couple of months ago, and it was only just now I realised something about it.
Everyone has different life experiences. The people in that show probably grew up with perfectly smooth and safe roads. Others grow up with rocky roads (not the chocolate) on the side of mountains.
Everyone has different life experiences and personalities, so stop comparing yourself.
‘It’s not that hard to act in a drama.’ Uh, yes, it is. It’s all I can do to have a non-speaking role.
‘It’s an easy assignment.’ Well, no, I actually found it really hard.
‘She’s so much skinnier than me.’ Maybe she’s near hospitalisation.
‘I wish I was beautiful like her.’ Maybe she wishes she was more like you.
‘His family is richer than mine.’ Maybe he wants to be happier like your family.
Everyone has a different road to travel on. It might have been smooth in the past and rocky up ahead. It might have been rocky in the past and smooth up ahead. Or it might always seem rocky.
Everyone’s path is different to yours, so it’s not fair to compare.
It’s like other countries. One may seem better than your own, but to others, yours might seem better.
School is absolutely full of comparison. Sometimes I come home feeling worthless, because I’ve compared myself to every person I walk past, and I come off worse. It’s not a nice day.
So stop comparing yourself to others, and look at yourself through the eyes of those who love you. Better yet, look at yourself through the eyes of the One who loves you the most. This is what He thinks of you:
‘What’s the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail – even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries.’
Matthew 10:29-31, The Message
