“Ugh, his meetings are so unorganized!”
“Why can’t she just fulfill her calling? It’s not that hard!”
I’ve noticed that when I judge other people, I’m usually comparing my strengths to their weaknesses.
I’m an organized, efficient, and dependable person.
So a lot of the judgmental thoughts in my head are focused on how other people are not as organized, efficient, or dependable as I am.
And on the flip side…
When I’m sinking into self-pity, overwhelmed at everything I’m not doing, I’ve noticed something, too.
“We spend so much time and energy comparing ourselves to others—usually comparing our weaknesses to their strengths.” —Dieter F. Uchtdorf
I’m usually comparing my weaknesses to other people’s strengths.
“Why can’t I create a creative meal like that for my kids?”
“I’ll never be able to connect the way she does.”
It sounds a lot like the situation Paul describes:
“And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.” (1 Corinthians 12:21)
We are all (to some extent) saying that we don’t need people the way they are when we judge them.
And we are all thinking that our community doesn’t need us the way we are when we judge ourselves negatively.
We all have been given different spiritual gifts and talents.
There is no need to compare our gifts and talents with each other.
No matter how tempting it may be to do so!
We need everyone in the kingdom of God.
We need people at every skill level.
We need people with every kind of gift imaginable.
We need people who are willing to develop new talents.
We need people who are patient with other people’s weaknesses and don’t stress about fixing things they can’t fix.
We don’t need to feel prideful about the gifts we have, or bitter about the gifts we don’t.
We can just feel gratitude.
For ourselves, and for others.
Just like a body needs all the various parts with their unique functions, scars, shapes, beauty, injuries, and purposes…
We need everyone EXACTLY as they are right now, filled with different personalities and strengths and quirks and experiences, in order to create a functioning, beautiful body of saints who are willing to take the time to love and lift everyone toward Jesus.
You are needed exactly as you are!
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
