Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.
Galatians 6:4-5 NLT
God is the absolute best at putting things in check. He recently gave me a revelation about who I was created to be. It made me feel special, but it puffed me up. It caused me to look down on others that I felt were not living right, and comparing myself to others because I had uncovered this great revelation and they had not. Then in my next prayer time, the Lord led me to Galatians 6. This chapter is a great reminder that we harvest what we plant. The Amplified translation reads. ” 4 But each one must carefully scrutinize his own work [examining his actions, attitudes, and behavior], and then he can have the personal satisfaction and inner joy of doing something commendable without comparing himself to another. 5 For every person will have to bear [with patience] his own burden [of faults and shortcomings for which he alone is responsible].”
As Christians, we have freedom in the Holy Spirit to fulfill the commands of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught the importance of having a humble servant’s mindset. This means when we say yes to Jesus, we say yes to a life of service to others. Galatians 6 points out an important fact; you can’t be conceited and serve others wholeheartedly. Arrogance and self-exaltation cannot coexist with humility in serving. In verse 4, Paul gives the remedy for self-conceit. He tells Christians that we must “pay attention to our own work.” This means we must examine ourselves and not just our opinions of ourselves, but our actual state. If we look at ourselves through the lens of God’s grace, then we can only boast in God. Our experiences and accomplishments pale in comparison to what God has done for His children. He sent Jesus to save us from eternal death. In the bigger picture, that gift is the only one worth having pride and joy in.
When we look at things from the correct perspective, we see the burden of our own sins and the greatness of God. A comparison should only be for the purpose of compassion. Compassion that each of us has our own individual burdens that require God’s grace. Knowing how God has moved in our lives gives us even more sympathy for the burdens of others.
As we accept the call of Jesus, he calls us to serve others. And we should do so wholeheartedly in reverence to God. We can’t plant pride/conceit in ourselves and expect to harvest blessings from the Lord. There’s no room for conceit in God’s kingdom. How can we be the hands and feet of Jesus if we’re busy comparing how much better we are than the drug addict or felon…? We all have sinned and if it wasn’t for the goodness of God, we would all be sentenced to eternal death. When we focus on ourselves, we realize how much God has done in, for, and through us. We should be humbled. In that state of humility, we should have a sense of compassion for others, not comparison.
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Jesus gave us the greatest example of service! We are to strive to be like Him and honor Him in everything we do.