From Whom Do You Judge

   When I play a game of football, I tend to continuously, intentionally, and intensely measure myself against everyone else that also takes the field with me. For example, if I am at the position of a running back, the only thing that tends to go through my mind is the performance of the other running backs during the game.
   The same goes for lifting weights. I tend to easily compare my muscle size and work intensity to the others who lift around me. It may even get to the point where my ego takes control and I want to lift with someone who does not lift as much as me, just because in the light of weight lifting, I look better.
   Other than the pride, the problem with this story is that I judged my success by the placement of others. I judged how my running skills were by the skills of another running back. I also judged my lifting strength by someone with less strength than I have.
   So tell me, why do us Christians tend to do the same thing? We tend to take our relationship with Christ and judge it by the lives of American Christians around us. And when we do this, we seem to want to look at the Christians who are having a tough time right now. Our growth in Christ should solely be judged by our relationship with Christ, not the appearance of other people. Remember that Christ is the only judge of our relationship and growth!