Resolve to Not Compare Yourself to Others This Year
It’s often easy to compare what we have—our talents, abilities, possessions—to that of others. When we recognize our unique differences and contributions to the body of Christ, we take an important step in our eternal progression.
In a world of constant comparison, it’s difficult not to judge our own value based on what we see of others. The skills and gifts of other people can often seem so much better than our own. But the reality is that each of us is born with different talents, abilities, and ambitions.
The Apostle Paul taught that individual members make up “the body of Christ” (see 1 Corinthians 12:27). Everyone has their own role and contribution to that body, and however big or small our contributions may seem in comparison to others, anything we do in faith can make a difference. In fact, when one person acts in faith, it can change an entire family or community, or even a generation.
Fritz immigrated to a new country when he was 19. He had the courage and faith in God to leave his hometown and begin a new life. That life was full of opportunities for his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. One person acting in faith changed hundreds of lives.
It’s up to us to be the best that we can be. It’s not helpful or productive to hold back because of fear that our best is not as good as someone else’s. Fritz knew this when he boarded a ship to a new country. He had a responsibility to make a change so that ensuing generations could be blessed, and so he acted in faith.
Move forward in faith.
Faith is our connection to God. Paul wrote that “ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). Faith in God is what sustains us through difficult times. It’s what motivates us to give in good times. Faith binds all of the children of God together in one purpose. When we are all engaged in being the best we can, there is no room for envy or comparison.
Jesus asked His followers to be the best that they could be, and to be like little children: humble, teachable, and full of faith (see Matthew 18:2–5). When we feel discouraged, we can remember the wise words of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “[God] doesn’t measure our talents or our looks; He doesn’t measure our professions or our possessions. He cheers on every runner, calling out that the race is against sin, not against each other” (“The Other Prodigal,” Ensign, May 2002, 64).
A new year, a new you.
The world is quick to judge, and even quicker to criticize. But if we focus on our own faith, we will come to know how to be better followers of Christ. We can strive to be more loving than we were a year ago, a month ago, even yesterday. Are we more honest, more teachable, more willing to recognize the needs of others? However big or small, our contributions make a difference.