Arrogance in Comparison

Comparison will make you look like the best person in the world in the most arrogant way. The pharisees are a great example of this principle. Look at the pharisee’s prayer and the tax collector’s prayer. (Luke 18:9-14) The pharisee is arrogant by comparing himself to the tax collector by saying that through everything he does, he is better than everyone. The tax collector came before God pleading that God would shine His love and have mercy on the tax collector. The pharisee was puffed up of knowledge and lacking love, but the tax collector came and humbled himself before God that he may receive the love that builds up. Look at this verse in Corinthians. “…We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.” – 1 Corinthians 8:1. The definition of “edifies” is building up and promoting growth. The definition of “puffs up” is inflating and being proud. The pharisee was so puffed up and arrogant from his knowledge of the law and his works of the law. The tax collector needed God’s love and His mercy so that he may grow and be built up in God. Knowledge is good and useful, but it isn’t everything. Knowledge is like a balloon while love is like a skyscraper. A balloon is puffed up with air. The smallest needle can pop it and destroy it. However, a skyscraper is built up with an intentional steel frame. It can even withstand the storms. So, the difference between knowledge and love is that knowledge has no internal structure. There is nothing on the inside of knowledge that lets it withstand the storm. However, love has structure within it. Love can be strong even within the strongest storm. The reason for this is that if anything is done without love, it is pointless and futile. “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” – 1 Corinthians 13:2. Knowledge is futile without love because love gives knowledge the structure it needs to withstand the storm. We are not to be built up with knowledge, but rather love because love builds up. Just as skyscrapers are structured with beams of steel; we are to be structured with pillars of love. Comparison is not love because you focus on yourself and how you are either worthless or how great you are. This is pure selfishness and arrogance. It isn’t about you or where you are in your journey compared to someone else. It is about Jesus, and it will always be about Jesus. “But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” – Galatians 6:4. You are not justified by comparing yourself to someone else to feel good about yourself. When you understand the love of God, you don’t need to compare yourself to someone else to feel justified for the love of God is all you need regardless of your works. It is the love of God that makes you rejoice rather than seeing yourself as better than someone else. So overall, comparison has two extremes of what it sees. It will either see everything you can’t do and lack, or it will see everything that you can do that someone else can’t which will glorify yourself arrogantly. Here is the thing, not everyone knows the same thing, does the same thing, or is called to the same thing. We all have different giftings, talents, skills, callings, destinies, revelations, etc. The reason for this is so that we may not compare who is better but rather come together in unity in the Body of Christ bringing each of our unique puzzle pieces so that they may go together to form the whole picture that blesses everyone in the Body of Christ. No puzzle piece is greater than another because each piece has a unique shape and purpose.