January 11th, 2021
Killing Me Softly Devotional Series – Week 1 – Comparison - Monday – Pastor Chris
The Shadow of Comparison
Philippians 3:8 (ESV)
Do you know which vocation suffers from worthless comparison the most, in my opinion? You guessed it, Pastors. Church folks do it all the time, having “favorite” and shall we say “not so favorite” Pastors. However, Pastors compare themselves to each other more than you may think. Sometimes it is a healthy comparison when the goal is to become like a well respected, brilliant communicator, a strong theologian who exemplifies what it means to be a pastor.
Unfortunately, it can often be an unfavorable comparison that creates a sense of feeling less than when comparing oneself to a more successful pastor. I struggled with this for years, especially in my early years as a lead pastor. The pastor I would compare myself to was Rick Warren, the Saddleback Community Church pastor and Purpose Driven Life author. I truly wanted to be Rick Warren until I heard Rick Warren talk about the Apostle Paul and how compared to Paul, Rick Warren was nothing.
If anyone could boast of a spiritual pedigree, it would have been Paul the apostle, formerly known as Saul of Tarsus. Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin, the equivalent of a Jewish supreme court that ruled over the people in religious and civic matters. A disciplined and holy man, Paul was a Pharisee, part of the Jewish religious elite.
But then Paul met Jesus, and everything changed. Looking back on his old life, Paul said,
“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8)
Pastor Rick continued to say if he continued to compare himself to the Apostle Paul, who gave it all up, followed Jesus, wrote over half the New Testament, and brought the Gospel to the Gentiles, that he would always be in Paul’s shadow. Remaining in Paul’s shadow would mean never seeing the light of the path that Christ intended for Rick Warren. Pastor Rick would never gain the fullness of Christ until he journeyed his way, not Paul’s.
That is what comparison does; it leaves us in another person's shadow, never able to fully experience who God intended for us to be and the mission that God has called us to bring him glory specifically. It is time for you and me to step out of humans' comparison shadow and seek to gain Christ fully in all aspects of our lives.
The Shadow of Comparison
Philippians 3:8 (ESV)
Do you know which vocation suffers from worthless comparison the most, in my opinion? You guessed it, Pastors. Church folks do it all the time, having “favorite” and shall we say “not so favorite” Pastors. However, Pastors compare themselves to each other more than you may think. Sometimes it is a healthy comparison when the goal is to become like a well respected, brilliant communicator, a strong theologian who exemplifies what it means to be a pastor.
Unfortunately, it can often be an unfavorable comparison that creates a sense of feeling less than when comparing oneself to a more successful pastor. I struggled with this for years, especially in my early years as a lead pastor. The pastor I would compare myself to was Rick Warren, the Saddleback Community Church pastor and Purpose Driven Life author. I truly wanted to be Rick Warren until I heard Rick Warren talk about the Apostle Paul and how compared to Paul, Rick Warren was nothing.
If anyone could boast of a spiritual pedigree, it would have been Paul the apostle, formerly known as Saul of Tarsus. Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin, the equivalent of a Jewish supreme court that ruled over the people in religious and civic matters. A disciplined and holy man, Paul was a Pharisee, part of the Jewish religious elite.
But then Paul met Jesus, and everything changed. Looking back on his old life, Paul said,
“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8)
Pastor Rick continued to say if he continued to compare himself to the Apostle Paul, who gave it all up, followed Jesus, wrote over half the New Testament, and brought the Gospel to the Gentiles, that he would always be in Paul’s shadow. Remaining in Paul’s shadow would mean never seeing the light of the path that Christ intended for Rick Warren. Pastor Rick would never gain the fullness of Christ until he journeyed his way, not Paul’s.
That is what comparison does; it leaves us in another person's shadow, never able to fully experience who God intended for us to be and the mission that God has called us to bring him glory specifically. It is time for you and me to step out of humans' comparison shadow and seek to gain Christ fully in all aspects of our lives.
Posted in Killing Me Softly
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