Blessing “all the families of the earth”

I vividly recall the moment my carefree childhood innocence slipped away. One day, I was just a little girl, happily riding her hand-me-down bike around the neighborhood, oblivious to mismatched clothes. The next, I felt inadequate, different, and not good enough.

It happened at a sleepover when I was eight. Among the other girls from my friend’s church, one stood out. Her perfectly curled hair, pristine clothes, magnetic personality, and beautiful lavender sleeping bag with a pastel ombre rainbow lining made me acutely aware of our differences. For the first time, I felt I didn’t measure up to an invisible standard.

I’m sure many of us have similar stories. We may think we’ve moved past these feelings, but I’ve observed countless people, myself included, still trying to measure up in various aspects of life. We’re constantly striving for “better than,” not just “better,” with perfection always in our sights. The root of this struggle lies in our me-centered thinking and pride. When we’re constantly comparing ourselves to others, a “me versus them” mentality inevitably emerges, breeding division. It worsens when we surround ourselves with like-minded individuals, collectively measuring our worth against different groups, perpetuating and amplifying the cycle.

This constant comparison not only causes pain in our own lives but also leads us down a path of hurting others, both intentionally and unintentionally. We may belittle others to feel better about ourselves or push people away out of our own insecurities, creating a ripple effect of pain and division. The insidious nature of comparison and pride lies in their subtlety. They masquerade as thoughts like, “At least I’m not as bad off as them,” or “I deserve this more than my friend.” Sometimes, it’s the opposite–a wounded pride that whispers, “They’ll never choose me,” or “I’m not good enough for that group.” Regardless of which side you’re on, it’s still me-centered thinking.

This dynamic fuels much of our political divide today. Democrats and Republicans constantly measure themselves against each other, neither wanting to appear weaker or lesser than the other. Just as we compare ourselves in personal relationships, political parties and their supporters often feel threatened by differing ideologies, leading to a “me versus them” mentality on a national scale. This polarization reflects the same pride and me-centered thinking that causes personal pain and division in our individual lives, making it increasingly difficult to bridge the gap between opposing viewpoints and find common ground.

Comparison and pride can easily turn our ideals into idols. Anything we elevate above God becomes something we fight for, pledge allegiance to, and use to raise ourselves above others, further dividing us from one another and from God. Humility, however, creates space and the courage to be vulnerable. It shifts our focus from ourselves to others, transforming our mindset from proving our rightness to asking, “Who can I help? How can I serve?” We remember that we’re not the center of the story–God is.

Embracing humility and vulnerability offers profound freedom because it allows us to surrender our striving and our idols to God… letting us fully live into the person and the people he created us to be. It gives us space to love and be loved. We recognize that we’re not in charge, that we don’t have all the authority–God does. This realization liberates us from the exhausting pursuit of measuring up and allows us to rest in God’s sovereignty. John 3:30 says, “He must become greater; I must become less.” This verse echoes the essence of true humility. We must become less so that He can become more. It’s not about diminishing our worth but about recognizing our proper place in relation to God and others. It means we don’t need to bear the burden of comparison that leads to division.

If we resist the urge to compare ourselves and our values against others, if we listen more and speak less, if we identify and set aside our idols, our vulnerability and humility will unite rather than divide; we will draw people into a healthy community. We become less, allowing Him to become more, and in doing so, we find the freedom and peace that constant comparison could never provide.