“Mirror Mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” How many thousands of times have I mentally asked that question to the mirror in my bathroom. Oh, it sounds a little different, but the root question is the same. It usually goes something like this: “Hmmm… I wonder if this shirt hides my stomach well enough?” “Sarah’s so pretty. She could pull this off much better than I am…” One night years ago is forever imprinted on my brain because of a conversation with several friends. One of the girls there explained that she had a major crush on a boy that we knew. She ended the story with, “It’s not like he’s ever going to look at me. He’s out of my league.” That night we tried to convince my friend otherwise, but she wouldn’t budge. Her mind was made. She had asked her mirror that morning like every morning before, and she was told no, she wasn’t the fairest of them all. I will always remember that night because I remember thinking as she spoke that I’ve said those exact same words. So many of us have said it. Thought it. Hated it. Believed it. The struggle does not end when we graduate from high school, college, become a “grown-up,” or get married. There’s always a mirror to look into. Always a girl to compare to. The question varies with our current season. It’s not always about our appearance. Satan, the author of comparison, uses a variety of weapons to drive the feelings of inadequacy home. Sometimes we question our calling. Our ability to raise our children. Our grades. Our faith. No matter the subject, the root is always inferiority. My most recent struggle with comparison came this month when I attended a conference for women who wanted to pursue ministry through leadership, writing, or speaking. As I met women from all over the country, and we started to share our passions, callings, and ministries, I expected the familiar twinges of inferiority and jealousy to arise. I listened to one woman who was passionate about helping women find freedom through forgiveness. One woman hoped to help better equip parents of children with special needs. Another’s heart centered around helping others find strength and joy in the face of incredible challenges. As the hours progressed, I found myself thinking how I would love to read her book once it’s written or that another woman would be a great resource for a friend in a similar situation. It struck me on that Wednesday afternoon that the world is full of women who have special circumstances and unique challenges. It was such a freeing moment to look around the circle and realize I would rather brainstorm ideas and action plans with these women than silently second guess my own goals in contrast to theirs. God gives each of us different lives, different struggles, different victories, different callings. When I look in Scripture, God didn’t use one disciple to write all of Scripture. Jesus didn’t pick just one person to carry on the faith. Instead He tells us that as Christians, we all make up the Body of Christ, the Church. We each have a unique role but the same purpose. God uses our differences to reach different people with His love and salvation. Romans 12:18-20 says But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The next time I find myself asking a question of comparison, I pray God will re-direct my thoughts to look at my arms, legs, feet, or even my elbow as a reminder that I am just one part of His body. My place in His Body was specifically designed which means my calling, gifting, appearance, and passion is no less important or more important than anyone else’s. The next time I find myself in a comparison battle, I’m going to remind myself of this truth. Although our ______ {fill in the blank: appearance, leadership style, career} might be different, our purpose is the same.
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