II Corinthians 19: 12
For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves,
We are to be bold in our witness for our Lord, but not to compete with one another.
But when they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.
Whenever we get ourselves into comparisons and competetitions with one another in the spiritual realm, we're showing that we don't understand how the spiritual realm works.
Our spiritual focus is not on one another horizontally--it's vertical. If we're just looking at one another down here, counting numbers and adding up sums, we're missing out on the real treasures God has for us.
God's gifts are primarily spiritual--the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)--these are the results of thinking like God thinks, forming attitudes aligned with God's views, and living out the Love-style God shows us. None of this is physical, it's all spiritual.
So when we try to compare ourselves with one another, we're missing the point. We can't see into each other's hearts, so we can't measure anyone else's closeness to God. We're only responsible for our own relationship with our Lord, and make sure we're relating to our fellow man with the lovingkindness we have received from Him.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
