Compare and Contrast

I think there is more than one way to look at our shortcomings. One is to beat ourselves up about how we fall short of living out the life of Christ. I don't recommend this option. It only leads to condemnation, immobilization, and sin consciousness . . . exactly what the enemy wants us to focus on.

The other option is to compare and contrast.

As I continue in relationship with our homeless friends, I am sometimes greatly distressed about their continual need. (You can interpret "greatly distressed" in many ways: anxious that I don't have enough to meet their needs, frustrated that they keep asking me to meet their needs, perplexed at the seeming strength of the curses over their lives, etc.) These things are constantly highlighting just how much disparity there is between my actions and thoughts and the actions and thoughts of Christ. But instead of choosing to live in a state of condemnation with it all, I'm choosing to compare and contrast my life with Christ. In doing this, I have been in such AWE of our AMAZING JESUS!! His love, generosity, overwhelming compassion, richness and abundance of resources from which he was SURE he could draw on are in such contrast to my own efforts to love and give and have compassion. Instead of despairing, I am rejoicing that the more I allow His Spirit to live in me, the more I will look, smell, and BE like my older brother Jesus! HE is amazing!

So today, when challenges in life seems to highlight your insufficiencies, contrast your weaknesses with His amazing strengths. Let this lead you to marvel and praise our amazing Jesus who longs to give us more of His Spirit so that we may look like He does!