But She...

It is so easy for us to compare ourselves to one another, isn't it?  One of Satan's better tricks, I think.  On our harder days it is easy to think that every other woman's life is easier.  "She seems to be doing everything so well.  But she..."  Fill in the blank- but she...

-has fewer children than I do

-has older children than I do

-has a husband who is home three days a week

-has a husband who is gone three days a week

-has household help

-has a bigger income than I do

-has a better education than I do

-has only girls

-has only boys

-doesn't have to work part-time to make ends meet

-has a family that supports her

I'm sure you can think of a few, too.

Oh, sisters, let's not fall into this trap.  Because for one thing, we may not know the whole story.  While any of the above might be true blessings in the life of a sister, she probably struggles in areas you take for granted.  Maybe her health is poor.  Maybe she battles unrelenting spiritual warfare.  Maybe her husband doesn't love her.

More importantly, when we take on an attitude of self-pity, we are really loving ourselves above our sisters.  And comparison is a form of covetousness.

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's." Exodus 20:17

For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Romans 13:9

Oh, that we would love our neighbors as ourselves. And lay down the comparisons.