Therefore be imitators
of God, as beloved children. - Ephesians 5:1 (ESV)
After taking her daughter to the
hospital to be checked out because she looked at Harold's spotlessly
clean room, Martha was back to normal and Harold was actually keeping
his promise to keep his room clean. Everything was going just perfect
at the Peterson household or that's what Helen Grey thought until she
bumped into Stella.
“Grumble, grumble, grumble.”
Stella grumbled as she bumped into her Grandma at the shopping mall.
“Whoa.” Helen said, What's all the grumbling about?.” “Harold!”
Stella snapped, “I hate him.” “Does this mean he's no longer
keeping his promise?” Helen asked. “I wished he wasn't” Stella
snapped again.
“I would have thought everyone would
be happy to see Harold finally keeping a promise?” Helen said a bit
puzzled. “Not this one.” Stella snapped again. “But he's being
good.” Helen reminded her. “Yeah,” Stella replied, “And even
when he’s being good he causes trouble for me.” “What's he
doing this time” Helen had to ask. “Keeping his room clean.”
Stella replied, “And I hate it.”
“Excuse me?” Helen said with a
stern face, “How is Harold keeping his room clean causing trouble
for you? Is he dumping everything in your room?” “He’s not
dumping it any where.” Stella responded, “He’s just keeping his
room spotlessly clean, and I mean spotless.” “Well, good for
Harold.” Helen said “That means everything should be great.”
“Are you crazy!?” Stella shouted
when she heard that, “Would you like your mom to see Harold’s
room.” “What?” Helen said a bit puzzled, “My mom isn't even
living.” “Well, if she was,” Stella snapped back, “And she
saw Harold's room she would make you go clean yours.” “Now, I
think I'm starting to understand.” Helen said “You're jealous.”
“Mom always used to think my room
was clean and I never had to clean it up.” Stella said, “Now
that Harold’s room is soooooo clean she thinks my room is a
disaster waiting to happen.” “so what's the problem?” Helen
injected. “I can’t stand it any more!” Stella continued, “He’s
getting all the attention and I have to clean MY room or I won’t
get any supper.”
“There's nothing wrong with cleaning
your room.” Helen said. “Are you crazy?” Stella snapped back,
“Do you now how much work that would be? I wish Harold had never
cleaned his room then Mom wouldn’t know what clean was. I wish his
room was still a big big mess.” You don't really mean that, do
you? Helen asked in shock.
“I meant every word of it.” Stella
claimed, “I wish his room was still a disaster. It would be a lot
easier than cleaning mine.” When she heard herself say that, Stella
got a nasty grin on her face, “I wonder.” she said and than with
a sinister laugh she took off on the run.
Let such a person understand that
what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. Not that we
dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are
commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one
another and compare themselves with one another, they are without
understanding. But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast
only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to
reach even to you.
2 Corinthians 10:11-13(ESV)
Who do you compare yourself to? When
I first wrote the puppet play that became this story, my oldest
daughter, like Stella had claimed her room was clean – in
comparison to her brothers. It wasn't clean. Often times in fun, my
wife and I make similar comparisons between “our” sides of the
bedroom.
We often compare ourselves to each
other but how often do we compare ourselves to God? How often do we
make Him our example to model our lives after?
When Samuel became old, he made his
sons judges over Israel. … Yet his sons did not walk in his ways
but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at
Ramah and said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not
walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us
like all the nations." But the thing displeased Samuel
when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel
prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, "Obey the
voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not
rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I
brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and
serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey
their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways
of the king who shall reign over them." So Samuel told all the
words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him.
… But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they
said, "No! But there shall be a king over us, that we
also may be like all the nations, and that our king may
judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."
1 Samuel 8 (ESV)
Instead of looking to God and His
words to them, the people of Israel were looking to the nations
around them and comparing themselves to them. Instead of saying those
nations needed to reject human leaders and replace them with God,
they chose to say we need a human leader and reject God.
Here are some versus that remind us of
where are examples to compare ourselves to should come from.
- In John 13:15 Jesus is speaking and He says I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. (ESV)
- In Philippians 2:5 Paul says Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, (ESV) – we are to have the mind of Christ
- In Ephesians 5:1 Paul says Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. (ESV)
There are many more verse that can be
looked at and I would encourage you to do so. In the mean time.....
Here's Something To Ponder
- Who do you compare yourself to in attempt to make yourself look good?
- How do you look when you compare yourself to God?
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