No Comparison

I set my blocks for the 110-meter hurdles and took a couple of practice starts.

The starter called out, “Runners to your marks!” Nervous, I looked around to compare myself to the other runners. I noticed that the line I was using for the start was a full meter behind everyone else. I made the fateful decision to keep my feet in my blocks while moving both hands up even with the other runners. I was nearly lying flat when the gun went off. I crawled out of the blocks and hit almost every hurdle. I finished second to last!

Where did I go wrong? I took my eyes off the finish line, compared myself with others and tried to compete the way they were competing instead of running my own race.

When we focus on another person’s game, it prevents us from focusing on our game and competing the way that God created us to compete — which means working to develop our own unique skills to be the best that we have been created to be.

Spiritually speaking, when do we get off track? When we take our eyes off Jesus — the finish line — and begin comparing ourselves to others.

Stop the comparisons and be committed to developing your skills and unique abilities so that your game is at its best and you reach the finish line having run your race and keeping your eyes on Jesus.