Comparisons

"Be holy, for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:16 & Leviticus 19:2

Many people's idea of their own righteousness is :
"I'm not as bad as ___________ so I'm just fine."
Often this comes with a list of what they don't do so that they "aren't as bad as" whomever they choose to compare themselves with.

Yet God's call is "Be Holy as I AM Holy." not "Be better than your parents, co-workers, or the deadbeat down the street." He isn't asking us to simply not do the awful outward sins that we often think are bad... murder, steal, cheat... He is asking us to do that which we see needs doing... looking after the poor and the oppressed, the prisoner, the widow and orphan, the "least of these." James 4:17 tells us that "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do, and doesn't do it, sins."

Everyone falls short of God's standard. (Romans 3:23)
He knows we will. That's why there's grace.
But that doesn't change the standard.

The flip side of this coin is to compare yourself with those who "do/are better."
Often we judge ourselves on our bad day against someone else's good day (or the mask they let you see in public.) When it says "all have sinned." it meant ALL. Jesus is the only One to live sinlessly, and no matter what someone else does better than you do, they are still gonna fall short. They too are sinners who need grace no matter how "all together" they seem to have it!

Stop comparing with others, and start comparing to
HIS Holy Standards and only His view of you!

Remember that He also has called you Friend! an adopted (grafted in) child! You are co-heir to Heaven!
He "does not treat us as our sins deserve" (Psalm 103) or look down saying "What a horrid woman that Monica is... why did We offer her grace?!?" NO! He sees me (and all of my mistakes) and says that He loves me, His strength is made perfect in my weakness and His Grace is sufficient to cover me! Thank You Lord! (2 Corinthians 12:9)

When I am weak then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

I think I struggle with more inward sins. From the outside looking in, I probably "have it all together." I'm trying not to portray this to others and to be more transparent. The battle of the mind is where most of my warfare lies. To take every thought captive can be exhausting some days!
I also fall in the comparing with others I think are better category. It is so easy to look and see that this person is a spiritual giant compared to me, or that this other woman is such a wonderful mother! (and I'm not)

Remember we're all gonna fall at some time (James 3:2)
and it's not that we don't fall that makes us successful,
it's that we get back up! (Proverbs 24:16)