Comparing Apples to . . . Wait, what?

Remember those high school tests that instructed us to compare and contrast ideas X and Y? I don’t know about you, but I hated those. I always worried the conclusion I drew might not align with what the teacher had in mind.

Comparisons in high school tests are supposed to help sharpen our critical thinking. The phrase "apples to apples" implies comparison between two items with equal or similar values.

But let's forget the high school scenario. What if it starts earlier than that? What if it's built into our DNA? As children we yell, “That’s not fair!” when a sibling receives something we want for ourselves. And when other kids make fun of us because we don’t look like them or can't do what they can, it feels like a slap in the face.

Wouldn’t it be nice if all that stuff ended after high school? It doesn't. A coworker gets the promotion we desire and we think, “That’s not fair!” Or maybe we look at others and wonder, “Why can’t my face (hair, nose, eyes, etc.) be as flawless as hers?” Or, “Why can’t I seem to get my act together like he can?”

Comparison also can happen in the church. We wish we could quote Bible verses like Mrs. Smith. Or maybe we realize we haven't accomplished even half the good things Mr. Jones did. Can’t you just feel the discouragement settling in?

Image from www.bible.art.com

What about the flip side? Sometimes we turn a comparison outward and end up judging ourselves as better than someone else. Jesus talked about the Pharisee (a religious leader in biblical times) and the tax collector in Luke 18:10-12: “The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, saying, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’”

Many use this measuring stick when they consider where they’ll spend eternity. During a conversation about what happens after we die, someone says, “I think I’ll probably go to heaven. I’m a pretty good person.” Meaning he or she is “pretty good” compared to the guy the police just busted for pornography, thievery, or murder.

But “pretty good” leaves a lot of wiggle room. What does “pretty good” mean, exactly? Does it mean we “mostly” live our lives being kind to strangers and not hurting our loved ones? Does it mean we “usually” obey our parents, bosses, teachers, or others in authority? Does it mean we don’t “normally” lie?

Here’s a hard truth: pretty good, mostly, usually and normally don’t cut it in the eyes of God. The only comparison that really matters is when we compare ourselves to what God expects: Perfection. Jesus told us, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). This means we must be perfect in every second of our lives. Every thought we’ve ever had must be pure. Think of it: An entire life of not messing up—EVER. No one can measure up to that!

God’s word says we ALL have sinned—both criminals and those who lead “pretty good” lives. And the consequence of our sin is for us to spend eternity in hell. What are we supposed to do? How do we get ourselves out of that?

We can’t. Except for Jesus.

He loved us so much (yes, even before we were born) that He left heaven to save us. As the Son of God, Jesus was perfect. Always. Yet he chose to sacrifice His own life to pay our penalty for our sins.

When we agree with God that we are sinners and there’s no way we can save ourselves, we can ask Jesus to forgive us. Then an amazing thing happens. God transfers Jesus’s righteousness to us and our eternity moves from hell to heaven.

Jesus shows us how this works. Let’s return to the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:13-14. Jesus continued, “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.”

Comparison is fine when we’re weighing our choices of things, such as deciding which car is better, which kitten is the cutest, or which apple to select from the bushel barrel. But comparing ourselves to other people doesn’t fix anything for us or for them. Judging ourselves as worse or better than the next person only leads to discouragement or puffed-up pride. The fact is, each of us is in the same barrel—sinners who need God to save us.

See you next time,

Toni

  (Biblical references are from the New International Version of the Bible)