Welcome to the Femina Podcast. This is Nancy Wilson. Thanks so much for joining me today. I hope you had a happy 4th of July.

The topic today is comparisons. The dictionary definition is for the word comparison, an examination of two or more items to establish

similarities and dissimilarities to examine the character or qualities in order to discover

resemblances or differences. So there we go. Ah, yes, resemblances.ances were so similar, aren't we? But also differences. And we think, well, she is so much better. Or I've got her beat. Sorry, but that's true, isn't it? So I think I've told you before that my mother-in-law used to say comparisons are odious.

And then I think that about sums it up.

Here's the biblical basis for her comment.

2 Corinthians 1012,

For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves,

but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise.

And of course, the goal is that we want to be wise women, not wasting time.

We want a different aim than to be always constantly comparing.

When we compare ourselves to one another, whether consciously or unconsciously,

and we do so in order to feel better about ourselves, commend ourselves, or to feel worse about

ourselves, which is not helpful either, we are mistaken. We're wasting time. Let me focus on just

one example where comparisons might come up.

Let's say your home is run like a well-oiled machine. The house is in order, the kids are in order.

You can assume from that you're nailing it. Because you truly are, though you may not be exercising

humility when you make that assessment, but you also may be using a false

standard by which to determine whether you're nailing it or not. What is that false standard? What could

it be? Well, others. For example, when you decide your home is excellent in all the ways,

you're looking at those homes in the Christian

community that seem disheveled or unruly in comparison to yours. So you can feel pretty smug about

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