Comparison, Coveting and Contentment
As moms, we compare everything. Maybe it starts off simply, innocently. We compare birth stories. Baby's height, weight, length, hair (or lack thereof). We compare baby's eating schedule, sleeping (or non-sleeping) habits, record blowouts. As time goes on, we compare the much-sought-after milestone of when baby starts sleeping through the night, when baby starts crawling, walking, talking.
What starts off innocently can quickly turn harmful. Because all of a sudden, we see something wrong with our baby or our toddler. We see something wrong with us. With how we've been doing things. And we want what we do not have.
We compare her husband's job - and hence his schedule, vacation time, salary - with our husband's. We compare their spacious, beautiful, new home to our simple, small, '70s-built one. We compare their family vacations with ours (what is a vacation anyways?). We compare their shiny brand-new vehicles with our new-to-us ones. We compare bodies. We compare clothes. We compare healthy eating habits.
It's the same lie that Satan whispered into Eve's heart back in the Garden. Did God really say you can't eat that? Come on, He's holding out on you. That fruit will open up the world to something bigger, something better. This Garden that you're living it? Pathetic compared to what you could have. Just taste it and see.
And yet, in Scripture, we read that instead of wanting what is not ours, we are to be content. To be satisfied with what we have. To not need - or want - anything more.
It's so against our nature to be content. Comparison comes naturally. Coveting happens without us even thinking about it. Contentment -- like our walk with Christ, takes daily, moment-by-moment work.
But I have a feeling that it will all be worth it.
That, as we live as faithful stewards with all that we have been entrusted with, there will be nothing sweeter than to hear the One who has given and provided daily for us proclaim:
What starts off innocently can quickly turn harmful. Because all of a sudden, we see something wrong with our baby or our toddler. We see something wrong with us. With how we've been doing things. And we want what we do not have.
But it's not just moms who compare. It's not just sleeping habits and toddler vocabulary and potty training progress that we compare.
We compare her husband's job - and hence his schedule, vacation time, salary - with our husband's. We compare their spacious, beautiful, new home to our simple, small, '70s-built one. We compare their family vacations with ours (what is a vacation anyways?). We compare their shiny brand-new vehicles with our new-to-us ones. We compare bodies. We compare clothes. We compare healthy eating habits.
And no matter how often we compare, no matter what we're comparing -- we always seem to end up on the short end. On the end that says, "Why can't I have that? I wish I had what she does."
It's the same lie that Satan whispered into Eve's heart back in the Garden. Did God really say you can't eat that? Come on, He's holding out on you. That fruit will open up the world to something bigger, something better. This Garden that you're living it? Pathetic compared to what you could have. Just taste it and see.
Comparison opens the door to coveting. To envy. To jealousy.
And yet, in Scripture, we read that instead of wanting what is not ours, we are to be content. To be satisfied with what we have. To not need - or want - anything more.
That because Jesus won't leave us or forsake us, we should be content, not loving money. (Hebrews 13:5)
That because of Jesus and all that He is and has done, we should be content, whether we have a lot or a little. (Philippians 3:10-13)
That because we brought nothing into this world and we won't bring anything out of it, we should be content. (1 Timothy 6:6-8)When we compare and we covet, we so quickly over look the abundance that we have been given. We overlook the blessings of our husband's job and schedule. We don't realize the price tag that comes with that beautiful new home and perhaps the tightness of the budget to make ends meet. We forget to be grateful for the simple fact that we have a family.
It's so against our nature to be content. Comparison comes naturally. Coveting happens without us even thinking about it. Contentment -- like our walk with Christ, takes daily, moment-by-moment work.
But I have a feeling that it will all be worth it.
That, as we live as faithful stewards with all that we have been entrusted with, there will be nothing sweeter than to hear the One who has given and provided daily for us proclaim:
"'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'" (Matthew 25:21)
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