We compare almost everything. We compare houses, careers, salaries, marriages, children, accomplishments, appearances, and possessions. Unfortunately, we can bring that same habit into our spiritual lives.
Simon was doing exactly that. He looked at the woman kneeling at Jesus’ feet and thought, “I may not be perfect, but I’m certainly not like her.” Jesus responded by telling him about two people who owed money. One owed 500 pieces of silver, and the other owed 50. Their debts were obviously different, but Jesus wanted Simon to notice something much more important. Neither person could pay what he owed. The issue was not which person had the better-looking debt. The issue was that both were bankrupt. We often play Simon’s game ourselves. We may think, “I’ve never done what she did,” or “At least I’m not as bad as him.” Comparing ourselves with someone else may make us feel better temporarily, but it cannot make us right with God.
Romans 3:20 (NLT) says, “For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.” Jesus wanted Simon to understand that the difference between him and the woman was not that she needed forgiveness and he did not. They both needed it. She simply understood her need for Jesus more clearly.
Imagine two people standing on the California coast who decide to swim to Hawaii. One is an average swimmer. The other is an Olympic champion. The Olympic swimmer would obviously go farther than the other person. But eventually, both swimmers would face the same problem. Neither of them can swim to Hawaii. It would be ridiculous for the stronger swimmer to look back and congratulate himself because he had made it farther than the other person.
That is the problem with spiritual comparison. Someone else’s failures may be greater or more visible than ours, but none of us can reach a perfectly holy God through our own goodness. The closer we get to Jesus, the more we will realize that comparison doesn’t work. We begin to realize that we all come to Him empty-handed, depending on what He has done for us.
Reflection Questions
- Who are you tempted to compare yourself with spiritually?
- Does comparison usually make you feel superior or inadequate?
- Why does remembering that neither debtor could repay destroy spiritual pride?
- Thank Jesus today that your relationship with God does not depend on being better than someone else.
Steve Roach serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Growth at NorthStar Church. He and his wife, Amy, live in Acworth and have three girls, Olivia, Sydney, and Hayley and one son, Colton. He enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family.