Today’s tip comes from my experience and struggles this past week. As those with chronic illness or disability know, it is easy to fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others. Maybe their trial seems heavier or lighter than ours. Maybe they are able to do so much more than we are while they seem to have more issues than we do. Maybe they have opportunity to serve more than we can or have more money than we do or whatever.

My tip today is not to compare! Each one of us has different life experiences, struggles, and victories that others know nothing about. We each have a purpose and uniqueness that is given to us from God.

Instead, let’s rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep despite what we may be going through. I think both weeping and rejoicing with others helps us focus on God – both in praying for others and rejoicing at praises.

There are so many verses in Scripture that talk about not comparing or with rejoicing/weeping with others.

• Romans 12:6 – “⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;”
• 2 Corinthians 10:12 – “¹² For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”
• Romans 12:15 – “¹⁵ Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”

I think this goes along with loving others as Christ would.

This week we had some family needs come up. Each person in our family did what they could. From an outside perspective, some gave more than others. However, my heart was touched as I realized that each of us gave what we could according to our resources. I was one that couldn’t give as much as others did. God reminded me about the fact that I shouldn’t compare.

This week, as I was listening to the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30, it hit me hard not to compare. It hit me that the servants were given different amounts of talents. The “Well Done” came from using what they had for the master, aside from the amount they were given. We don’t compare. Instead, we simply love God and give to Him according to what He has given us.