Picture: Counsel #21 — uNIQUELY yOU CI 60.1
Have you ever heard someone say, “There will always be someone smarter, prettier, or more successful than you”? How did hearing those words make you feel? Regardless of your initial reaction, I’m sure the feelings of comparison managed to creep in. Surprisingly, that rush of comparison isn’t just emotional - it’s neurological. CI 60.2
There’s a part of your brain called the anterior cingulate cortex, and it plays a big role in social comparison by tracking how you stack up next to others, especially when it comes to things like status or achievement. It’s simply part of your survival wiring, but in today’s world of constant visibility, it can become a stronghold. Truthfully, comparison is misleading as it makes you forget that God never meant for you to live someone else’s life. Psalms 139 says you were “knit together” by God Himself, which means every detail - your gifts, quirks, and idiosyncrasies — was handcrafted, not copied. When you compare, you dishonor that uniqueness and start measuring your worth with someone else’s ruler. So next time envy creeps in, pause and ask: “Am I focused on their path, or faithful to mine?”[60] https://shilohbrooklyn.org/overcoming-envy-and-jealousy/ CI 60.3
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 NIV CI 60.4
“Many measure themselves among themselves, and compare their lives with the lives of others.” Ellen White in Maranatha, p. 42 CI 60.5
Reflect: Do you imitate others more than being yourself? CI 60.6
