Hi, Jesus loves you.
How far have you gone with your purpose in life? You are special and unique before God and so is your purpose. But comparing yourself with others will distract you and hinder you from fulfilling it. The people you compare yourself with are not better positioned than you are before God, what you have and where you are, are enough for you to deliver. This post gives you reasons why it is foolishness to compare yourself with others.
For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise – 1 Corinthians 10:12 (NKJV)
His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord – Matthew 25:23 (NKJV)
Many people when they look at someone doing well in his assignment and is vastly known, they look down on their own assignment and think theirs is nothing compared to the other person’s own. That should not be so! Your purpose is equally as important as his purpose. Run with yours and you will get to the peak of it and you will be vastly known too.
Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:12 told the Corinthians that they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. That means they are foolish in doing so.
The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) makes it so clear how God sees your assignment and what He expects from you:
It is according to your ability
Your purpose in life is according to your ability. Your ability is different from mine, his or hers! God, who made you, knows how you have grown and how much you can stretch yourself, gave you an assignment on earth commensurate to what you can do. Like a true Father that He is, He didn’t burden you with a load that will weigh you down.
Whatever purpose you have in life, God knows that you can take it to the top most top if you will run with it, for you have all it takes to achieve it. Every calling from God is a high calling. So you sit with God and map out how to get to the peak and RUN with it. You are your own limitation.
It is the same commendation
It is interesting to note that the lord of the servants gave the same commendation to the first two servants who traded their talents and gained more. One was given five talents and he gained five more, while the other was given two talents and he gained two more. Their lord said to them, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord’ – Matthew 25:21, 23
God is going to judge you based on what He gave you not on another person’s performance. The servant who gained two more doubled his talent just like the servant who gained five more doubled his talent, he got hundred percent too like the other servant. If the servant who was given five talents gained only three, he would have been considered to be less productive compared to the one who gained two more. To whom much is given much is expected.
Therefore, make the most of what you are given and you will get the same commendation with another person who has more talents than you do and made the most of what he was given.
Faithfulness is required
God is looking for faithfulness on your part. It is required in stewards that one be found faithful – 1 Corinthians 4:2. The Lord rewards faithfulness. It will make you to stand before kings and not unknown men – Proverbs 22:29
The third servant was not faithful with what he was given and so gained no more talents and no commendation. Faithfulness will bring out the best in you and expose abilities you didn’t know you possessed. Comparing yourself with others will not encourage faithfulness. It will breed discontentment, murmuring and complaining.
Daniel was found faithful in Babylon. King Darius gave thought to setting Daniel over the whole realm but the other governors and satraps didn’t want that, so they sought to find some charge against Daniel; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him – Daniel 6:4. Faithfulness to God and his assignment made Daniel a great man in Babylon.
Fruits are expected of you.
Every farmer expects fruits from the seeds sown. God has invested a great deal in you; He is expecting fruits from you. Your abilities are to yield fruits on your account. Any tree that doesn’t bear fruit will be cut down.
Your purpose in life must yield fruits that will abide – John 15:16. It is not meant for your consumption alone, it is to multiply in the lives of others
Christ came to earth and was faithful with His assignment; He ran with His purpose in life and bore much fruits that are still multiplying by the day. He is a good example to follow.
It is considered as wickedness and slothfulness not to trade your talent
The lord of the servants called the third unfruitful servant, wicked and slothful. He rebuked him that even though he didn’t want to work, he should have at least put his money with the exchangers so that he could receive it with usury. God hates waste!
It is a waste to be talented and you do nothing with it, and not fulfilling your purpose is also not good. It’s like telling God He didn’t know what He was doing when He created you. God believes in you, you must not let Him down. And you know, it is not by your might or power but by the help of the Holy Spirit (Zechariah 4:6), so engage Him and He will gladly help you out.
Slothfulness is one major hindrance to you fulfilling your purpose in life. It is not your location or lack of money. With diligence you can overcome every obstacle on your path and God is always there to help you out. Comparing yourself with others is way of giving excuse for your slothfulness. It is not accepted.
Only condemnation awaits an unprofitable servant
You are meant to bring forth fruit and so being unprofitable is not in your best interest. Condemnation is the portion of anyone who doesn’t yield any profit. God expects you to fulfil your purpose, but peradventure you don’t finish, you will still be better than the person who did nothing with his purpose in life, so run with yours and have a mind to finish – 2 Timothy 4:7
In Luke 13:6-9, Jesus told a parable of the fig tree and there He emphasized the need to bear fruit. When the owner of the vineyard looked for fruit and found none, he asked the dresser of the vineyard to cut it down, that it should not use up the ground for nothing. However, the dresser pleaded that grace of one year should still be given to the fig tree.
So, any unprofitable servant after a while will be cut down. That should not be your portion! You have been equipped to yield some fruit, best if you yield hundred fold – Mark 4:20
In conclusion, it is really foolishness to compare yourself with others. You will be judged based on what you have and not by what you don’t have. And it is very dangerous to behave like the third servant and not trade with what you have been given. Who you are and what you have, are more than enough to get you to the top, just give it what it takes and you will be there.
Ngozi Nwoke
Grace and peace of God be unto you.
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About the Author
Ngozi,
You are doing a great job.
God’s blessings be upon you in Jesus name.
John Waweru, Nairobi
Amen!
God has been my help and I give Him all the glory.
Very helpful! Thank you for writing this! 🙂
Praise God!
God bless you Angela
I needed this today! Thank you.
Praise God!
God bless you Lavonne.
Thank you. The oil of God on your life will not run dry in Jesus Mighty Name. Amen. More Grace.
Amen.
Thank you Felix for your prayers.
God bless you.