Elaine Williams reminds us that contentment is not about having more, but about learning to enjoy what God has already placed in our hands. This thoughtful reflection points readers back to Scripture and toward a deeper trust in God’s provision, helping us resist both inferiority and pride as we grow in gratitude and compassion.
This article originally appeared in the Just Between Us Weekly Digital Magazine.
By Elaine Williams
Comparison shopping is a great way to save money, since it affords the opportunity to check the difference between two or more options. I love going into Ross or T.J. Maxx and checking the price tag that gives “their price” and “our price.” Prices are marked down throughout outlet stores, but the first place I check is the clearance section. I want the lowest of the low prices!
In shopping, comparison is good. It helps us to be good stewards of our resources. The danger lies in buying things that we don’t need just because they were such a great “deal” (too many items have ended up in the yard sale or donation pile).
Comparison gets out of control when I compare myself with those around me—when I look at other people and see what they have: popularity, beauty, talent, prestige, health, money, “things” that I don’t have, children who excel in areas that my children don’t.
Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, said, “Comparison is the root of inferiority.”
We have all observed children opening birthday or Christmas gifts. Generally, very young children are happy with the boxes the gifts come in. As they become toddlers, usually they are happy with the gifts in the boxes. But as they get older, they become aware of siblings, neighbors, or friends, and begin looking at what they got. Whose pile is bigger?
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