Are We Comparing or Following?

Shot of English Club

The disciple Peter was reeling from what had just been revealed about his future, from what he was being called to. Seeing someone else, he pointed and said, “But, what about him?” 

As we discussed this story on Sunday I thought about how true Peter’s response is.  How quick we are to look at others and compare. 

Comparison—how it dogs us—sometimes spurring us onto better things, but more often than not hindering us.  We have both witnessed and experienced its poisonous qualities on our teams.  I can remember first arriving in Africa, and after six months of language study, still feeling so incapable of communication.  In this turmoil of self pity, I listened to my teammate (who had arrived at the same time as me) make conversation with a neighbor, making jokes and connecting with people.  At that moment I could have rejoiced for my teammate.  But instead I looked inward and wondered why I couldn’t do that.  Why was I such a failure?  Why did I have to struggle in this area and he didn’t?

Our youngest loves the hammock

Later on we became team leaders and since then we have seen the comparison poison at work in our teams.  Try as we might to keep things equal and fair, each team member has different needs, different struggles, different talents.  Yet on every team, with both the mature and immature, the question, “What about him?” seems always near at hand in our thoughts.  It’s like we can’t help ourselves!  And it isn’t just our teammates, we are often no better as leaders, asking ourselves, “Why aren’t we better at this?”  “Why are we the ones caught up in this crisis?”  “Couldn’t someone else be shouldering these burdens?”

The comparison doesn’t even have to be with the people right around us, yet it can still wrangle:  For example, we read books of amazing people around the world, who have loved deeply, sacrificed greatly and saw incredible things happen. We hope to be inspired, and yet we can be left in despair at their greatness and our feebleness..   Or there are stories from home, updates on social media that remind us of the kind of life back home that we have given up to be on the islands, and we find ourselves wondering, why couldn’t my life be like hers?  It does us no good to think like this, and yet it happens without conscious intention. We see ourselves in a hard place and we ask, why isn’t anyone else facing this?

Our youngest takes photo of Megan

Perhaps it is that we want company on the journey. If we have struggles ahead, we at least want someone going through it with us. But that is where we forget the reality of what lies ahead.   When the disciple Peter asked “What about him?”  The reply was, “If I want him to live until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 

The command was “Follow me!” That means we’re not going it alone! We have a partner in this struggle!  Our lives will not look like anyone else’s and we will be all the better for it. The one we follow does not compare us to others.  He sees only the person He has made us to be.   We can’t just copy the person next to us and hope we’re going the right way.  Rather, we must look ahead at the one we’ve been called to follow.  Let’s stop looking side to side. Let’s ignore the distractions and comparisons. Let’s fix our eyes on Him and yell out, “Lead on, I’m with you!”

PRAYERS ANSWERED
The kids have returned to local school after a good break between trimesters.  We are pleased to see that they are adjusting back to school easily.  It seems as if the family across the street who have been so insistent in asking for things are asking a bit less plus we are feeling more comfortable about how to proceed with them. Thank you for your prayers concerning that situation.  Tom’s study group continues to go well.  Although talking about apologetics was not terribly pleasant, it seemed to address many of the misconceptions and ended in a good place.  Pray that we can move on to more fruitful discussions soon.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
We just learned that our former pastor and friend passed away. Pray with us for his wife, adult kids and grandkids and let us rejoice together over his life lived well. We look forward to seeing him again.  The language work’s consultant checking continues this week.  Continue to pray for good and clear communication: technologically, culturally and interpersonally!  We have been hoping for every one on our team to have opportunities to be studying with others.  We’re about half way there.  Pray for current and future study groups.