WRETCHED COMPARISONS

WRETCHED COMPARISONS

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Psalm 103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

  It is not enough for us to faithfully attend church and attentatively listen to the sermons. Though I benefit from well-prepared thought-provoking sermons, I know Sunday sermons are not enough. (This is especially true if your pastor preaches a wonderful salvation message every Sunday morning.) It is our responsibility before God and for others to be diligent in reading, prayerfully contemplating, and working at personally applying God’s word in daily life. We are to bless the Lord, and thereby others!

  But we cannot do so with wisdom when comparing ourselves to others whether scoping upscale or down. I share a provocative verse I’ve been contemplating in various translations.

2 Corinthians 10:12

(ASV)  For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.

(CEV)  We won't dare compare ourselves with those who think so much of themselves. But they are foolish to compare themselves with themselves.

(ESV)  Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

(GW)  We wouldn't put ourselves in the same class with or compare ourselves to those who are bold enough to make their own recommendations. Certainly, when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves to themselves, they show how foolish they are.

(ISV)  We would not dare put ourselves in the same class with, or compare ourselves to, those who recommend themselves. Whenever they measure themselves by their own standards or compare themselves among themselves, they show how foolish they are.

(KJV)  For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

(LITV)  For we dare not rank or compare ourselves with some of those commending themselves, but they measuring themselves among themselves and comparing themselves to themselves, are not perceptive.

(MKJV)  For we do not dare to rank or compare ourselves with some of the ones commending themselves. But they, measuring themselves among themselves, and comparing themselves to themselves, are not perceptive.

(NLT) Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!

(Webster)  For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

(YLT)  For we do not make bold to rank or to compare ourselves with certain of those commending themselves, but they, among themselves measuring themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise,

 

  In this area how is it we may contemplate with hope of pleasing God and loving others? By observing and listening to ourselves. This being our verbal remarks, wordless smile or smirk, quiet nods, or poker-faced acquiescence in responses to others’ conversations. If this is candidly done we may be surprised by what we see and hear.

EBB4