Thoughtful Tuesday (Since I missed Monday Musings)

For the past week or so I’ve been contemplating the word compare. In a recent Relief Society class we were having a lively discussion about this very topic. Many suggested that we should not compare ourselves to others at all. As I sat there and thought I realized that in some ways though we should compare ourselves. It isn’t wrong to look up to someone and want to emulate some of their qualities. I know, being a woman, that one of the ways Satan tries to get at me is by comparing my faults to others strengths. He tricks us into thinking that we can’t ever be that good, or that nice, or that whatever. I believe that where we can benefit from comparing is by believing that we CAN be that good, or that nice, or that whatever. It takes faith to bust through Satan’s powerful lies. We are commanded to be like Christ and to do that we need to constantly compare our lives to His. “Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.” (3 Nephi 12:48) Perfection is a seemingly impossible goal. When we look at others lives it sometimes seems easy to claim their lives are perfect. I would caution that we not put the label of perfection on anyone other than Christ. It puts an incredibly heavy burden for them to live up to. Who are they supposed to look up to if they are already perfect? I know I have become a better person by looking to those around me and wanting to be more like them.