In the blog world, we know what blog envy is. It’s when we look at someone else’s products, traffic, advertisers, follower, subscribers, and shoe size and wish “wow, I wish my blog was as awesome as that.” Many people remind small and larger blogs alike to stay focused on your own blog, your own goals, and your own opportunities. Don’t fall victim to blog envy.
Well ladies, there’s also something called Christian envy, and it’s a horrible thing. Christian envy is when you look at someone and think “I wish I had the Bible memorized. I wish I was as Godly as she is. I wish I said prayers as good as she does.” Comparisons like that can make a Christian feel inadequate. It can make you feel that you must be doing something wrong if you aren’t as epically “Christian” as that other woman who sits in the front pew, sings in the choir, and tithes 25%.
I am here to remind you that that way of thinking is WRONG. First and foremost, all of us could stand to be more Christian. Is that woman Christ? I don’t think so – so even she has room to grow, just like you and I do. And even if we do compare ourselves to someone for a gauge of “how Christian are we” the standard you want to hold yourself to is the big JC himself – Jesus Christ.
Sure, people can inspire us. Inspiration is A-OK. Envy is not. Using someone’s good traits to inspire you to be better is good. Hating yourself for not being like the other person is bad.
We all have our own walk. We all learn and process things differently, and not all of our traits are as obvious as others. As the saying goes about books and covers…. For example, let’s go back to the person who knows the Bible inside and out. Does she live her life by what she has memorized? And I mean really live it, not just cite verses saying what she SHOULD do. It’s one thing to say it, we’re talking about someone who does it. On the other hand, you can take a person who only read the Bible once, and it may have impacted their life so much that their very life represents what Jesus taught.
It’s not about how much we know or how well we can do the Christian acts. A “good Christian” isn’t gauged by how much of the Bible we have memorized. It’s about our hearts. What heart do we have as we live our lives? Do we have a loving heart, do we have a kind heart, do we have a forgiving heart? None of those things require “being a Christian” but all of those things come from a heart of Christ.
So the next time you see a godly, Christian woman – praise her, commend her, pray for her but also remember that you too can represent Christ in your life. You don’t have to be just like her to be a “good Christian”, you just have to be as much like Christ as you can be, and strive to be like Him more and more each day. Simply say to yourself, “Every day, in every way I’m getting better and better through Christ who strengthens me.”
I pray for all of us to be more like Him every day in every way. I pray that we continue to love ourselves and not fall victim to feelings of envy or bitterness. Instead we are filled with His love, His kindness, His forgiveness, and His understanding.
Peace & Blessings,
Miriam
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