Comparisons

My wife does most of the shopping in our family, especially when it comes to buying produce. However, last week my wife asked me to buy some cucumbers.  As I came across the bin, I had to ask myself, how do I know which cucumber is the best, so I began squeezing them, thinking that if one were less squishy, it probably would be better.  I personally have no interest in biting into a squishy cucumber. 

I suppose we do that with most of the things we buy.  Comparison is the main method by which we decide things.  Which bag of milk is freshest?  Which car gets the best mileage?  Which laptop is a Mac?

What interests me though is how we compare ourselves to others.  Thomas Shadwell, a 17^th Century Poet said that “No man is happy but by comparison”.  Strange words for a poet that was born 100 years after Shakespeare. 

I disagree with Shadwell.  It all depends on whom you compare yourself to.  If I compare my looks to Bradley Cooper or Brad Pitt…or some other Brad, I’ll probably be unhappy.  But if I compare myself to Shrek, I’ll probably feel good about myself.

Isn’t the same thing true with my finances, or dancing ability? This is especially true when it comes to morality.

This is an area where we almost always compare down isn’t it?  I may not be perfect, but at least I’m better than that guy who drinks and drives.  Of course, the drunk driver is saying that he’s better than the his neighbour who beats his kids. 

But what if we compared ourselves to perfection?  In all my years of youth ministry I’ve only ever met one kid who thought he was perfect…and everyone around him could tell you that he was wrong.

So how do we do when we compare ourselves to Jesus, whom the bible tells us was perfect?

It really doesn’t matter who happens to be worse than me when I realize how I compare to Jesus.  And when I compare myself to perfection it highlights how far from perfect I actually am.  I feel like the squishiest cucumber in the bin.

But I don’t think God wants us going through life feeling like squishy cucumbers.  He gave us the gift of life and He wants us to experience it to the full.  That’s why Jesus gave up Heaven to come to earth.  He lived a perfect life so that He could die for all of MY imperfections…and yours too. 

The bible tells us that if we believe in our heart and confess with our mouths that Jesus is who He says He is; then we will be saved.  When that happens Jesus’ perfection covers over our imperfection.

So I’ll ask you what I’ve asked hundreds of teenagers.  How do you compare to Jesus?  And is there any reason why you wouldn’t want Him to cover your imperfections?