Avoid Comparison

Week 3

Day 1

Love: Avoid Comparison

Few things cause as much damage and distortion as comparison.  Pastor Andy Stanley calls this living in the land of “ER:” I am stronger, better, etc., than he is, or he is stronger, better, etc.,  than I am.  This week’s focus from 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that love does not envy, does not boast, is not proud. These are the two sides of comparison; envy, comparing upward toward those we see as winning the comparison with ourselves,  and boasting  or pride, comparing downward toward those who we see as losing the comparison with us.  Either way, comparison kills love.  Love is power to avoid this trap. 

It appears that this aspect of love was especially important in the church at Corinth.  They really struggled with comparison!  Way back in the beginning of the letter it is addressed:

¹¹ My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. ¹² What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴ I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ so no one can say that you were baptized in my name.   1 Corinthians 1:11-15)

The Corinthians were living in the land of “Er!”  In chapter 12, the direct conversation out of which chapter 13 flows, the deadly trap of comparison is addressed again.  

^{First Paul addresses the tendency to compare upward:}

¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

^{Next Paul addresses the tendency to compare downward.}

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment.

And Paul concludes by calling us to leave the land of Er:

But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

And in conclusion, we see verse 31:

³¹ Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.  And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

Love calls us out of the Land of Er.  The path of love is a way where comparisons don’t define us.  The power of love is power to resist comparison. 

Questions for Reflection

Where do you find yourself living in the “land of Er?”  What effect does this have on your life? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you find yourself, like the Corinthians, aligning with certain Christian personalities in contrast to others?  With whom do you do this?  Why do you think this happens?

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Do you find yourself, like the Corinthians, comparing up or down with others’ spiritual gifts or service in the church?   Where does this happen?  How does this reflect a lack of love? 

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Reflecting specifically upon this devotional, write out a prayer to God. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________