Thinking Out Loud, Volume CDIII

How many times have you heard this statement? "When I was a kid, we were dirt poor, but we didn't know it, because all of our friends were just as poor as we were." I'm sure I could say that as well, but as I think about it, I'm starting to pick up a hidden message in that statement that says much more than the statement itself, and it is this: When we evaluate ourselves as to whether we are rich or poor, good or bad, smart or dumb, etc., we base our judgment by how those around us are doing. As an example, a person may have the nicest house in his neighborhood and feel like he's the kingpin, but if he had the same house in a different part of town, it may be the worst house in the area, and may not even match up to the standards of the subdivision. Another example may be that young home-town athlete who excels in every sport at school, but when he makes it to the big leagues, he just can't cut the mustard, and that causes people to look at him as a substandard performer. Is that what life is about? Is my success simply based on how I stack against those around me? Am I doing good as long as there are others who are doing worse than I am? I'm the slowest runner in our group, but in every big race I've run, there have been a lot of people who came in behind me. And by the same token, the fastest runners in our group never come in first in the big marathons. I guess one point I'm trying to make is that the standards by which I judge myself will not be the same standards used by others who judge me. For instance, if you hear a mother say that her Johnny is the most honest inmate in his entire prison, do you automatically think of Johnny as a person of integrity? The best looking horse in the glue factory is still about to become glue, and will never be considered for the Kentucky Derby. The biggest fish in the little pond may become bait when he moves to the ocean. So, here's the question: Is it wise to judge ourselves by those around us? Well....I guess we could say that maybe it's okay, since everyone does it, but when we say that, are we not justifying our actions simply by the actions of others? One thing is certain; when we are judged by God, the actions of others will have no effect on His judgment of us. And another thing....why should I take pleasure in the fact that I'm better than someone else? What if the guy in that ugly house down the street builds a new house that is nicer than mine? Would I then need to tear mine down and build a new one so I can still be one up on him? I can't see that having a happy ending. I remember getting a speeding ticket one time, and I explained to the policeman that I was not the only person speeding. He then explained to me that my citation had nothing to do with how fast other drivers were going, and their speed did not diminish the fact that I was violating the law. If we stop to think about it, there are some laws of human decency that are universal, and they are not altered by what's happening within my local surroundings. To me, the ultimate authority on this topic is the Holy Bible. I like the way it's explained in 2 Corinthians 10:12: (NLT) "Oh, don't worry; we wouldn't dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!" Preston