While reading my devotional this morning, I got a clearer understanding of how much more dangers we expose ourselves to when we compare ourselves with others. A lot of us are guilty of this in one way or the other and that is why I decided to share this piece. Be blessed as you read on.....
When I was a child in elementary school, I had a reputation for being rambunctious. My older sister, on the other hand, had a more serene nature. Once, when my classmates and I were waiting in line to get our lunch, I got bored and began rallying the other kids to play “leap frog” with me. Needless to say, my teacher was not pleased, and when she reprimanded me, she declared, “Your sister would never do that!” It was a statement that I would never forget, and that would haunt me in the years to come. All the way through to 12th grade, my sister had many of my teachers before I did, and I constantly felt dogged by comparisons that made me feel inadequate and inferior. My sister was smarter and more conscientious, and no matter how many awards and honors I won, they always seemed to fall short of hers. It seemed as though there was a recording inside my head playing the same thing over and over, “What’s wrong with me?”
The negative mindsets I developed in my childhood didn't vanish when I entered my 20s. I managed to carry them with me into adulthood. When I married my husband, I began comparing myself to other spouses. And when I had my two sons, comparing myself to other parents became the norm. The whole time my children were growing up, I was a stay-at-home mom, and I always felt very comfortable with this role. That is, unless I saw other mothers who had jobs outside their homes, and were bringing home paychecks to boost their family's income. I always seemed to have my hands full just trying to be a full-time housewife and mom. How did other women do it? And what was wrong with me?
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