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Good advise for the New Year

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  • Ross Cunningham •
  • Originally published January 2, 2009 at 12:26 p.m., updated January 2, 2009 at 12:26 p.m.

Another year has come and gone and what better way to start the first day off of 2009 with wisdom from the word. The Bible truly is food for our soul. The best advice I could give anyone for the coming year is to stop comparing yourself to others and be the best you can be. 2 Corinthians 10:12 states, “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” Trying to keep up with fashion crowd or living your life like someone else is not wise. Don’t compare yourself to others but rather just follow God and live to please Him. Philippians 2:3 states, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” Selfish ambition is when we are constantly looking at building our ego up instead of thinking about others. Some people like to advertise themselves and it always brings about comparison. When we die and leave this earth the only thing leaving with us is what God has done in our lives. It is foolish to compare yourself with others because everyone on the face of the earth is unique and different. When God made you, he broke the mold. When you compare yourself and elevate yourself there will always be someone else who is better. Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t make comparisons: first making comparisons brings insecurity and discouragement, it also affects our ability to lift others up because you can’t help others when your focus is on you. Here are some reasons why making comparisons is dangerous. Our World breeds comparisons by what is successful. The world’s view of success is to try to climb to the top of your profession and not to let anyone or anything get in your way. The Bible’s view is totally opposite, to esteem others better than yourselves. Real joy in life comes with having Jesus in your life, putting the needs of others first and you last (J-Jesus, O-others, Y- you). Mark 9:33-34 states, “Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.” God said that if you want to be great in His Kingdom then you need to put others first and become a servant. Without Jesus Christ in your life you are a nobody but with Him we become something, a child of His and joint heir with Christ. Another danger of making comparisons is that it comes from an evil root. The Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil. When we love making money it causes us to hate people who have it when we don’t. Don’t worry about the stuff others have because it only produces envy and pride. Pride will always bring you down and cause you to stumble in this life. Romans12: 3-5 states, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” Comparison generally aims high but will ultimately bring you down and brings poverty to your soul. So the best advise I could give you for 2009 is to stop comparing yourself to others and to live a godly life with contentment. I Timothy 6:6-9 states, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.



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