For what feels like years, part of the world of television advertising has been dominated by the GoCompare campaign. First you had the singing tenor dude doing his thing in various settings and then the company really latched onto the public sentiment by sending him up as a target figure for the millions who were annoyed by his warbles. A fairly good marketing campaign as it keeps people remembering.
I reflected on this as I remembered something I referred to in a previous blog regarding if a brother is found in a fault. (Go read it, it’s good stuff, even if I do say so myself.)
The whole point of the advert is to get you to access a site where you can compare prices on various insurance schemes to find the best one for you. It’s a relatively straightforward enough scheme, you compare, you find the one that fits you most and you can go get it.
It fits the consumer culture that wants to give the individual the power of choice to make the most of their purchasing power and that is about being competitive in the market and getting the right deal.
Sadly, however, part of that thinking is based on the thinking that we can get by once we’ve compared ourselves to others and find ourselves in a better position. A mindset that doesn’t just affect our purchasing choices, but also informs our approach to issues like morality and relationships.
Whenever a scandal erupts it’s an opportunity for people to tut-tut and crack on about how disgraceful it is for organisations, businesses and individuals to behave in such a ghastly fashion. We console ourselves with the thought that we would never do something like that. Even if we’ve made our mistakes – we haven’t made those kind of mistakes, so we’re alright. While we’re alright, the perpetrators are worthy of condemnation in the strongest possible terms.
A friend and I were conversing on how interesting it is that those who might claim to have not belief in a higher power are quick to behave as though there is an objective standard by which behaviour can be judged. Even reference to the law is sometimes a convenient cover for an ethical judgement. So with that standard being set, people can make their judgements on how others should be treated in the strongest possible way, while their little actions can be just that, little, insignificant and nothing in comparison to what others have done.
I’m not writing this as though I’m not guilty of it. You catch me in a pique of rage at some injustice, you sneak up on me when I see something that is disgraceful and if I’m not careful I can be found wandering into that kind of territory.
Here’s the problem. Referring back to what was mentioned in that brother in a fault article. I quoted Galatians 6:1, just a little further on we come into this:
If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. (Galatians 6:3-5 emphasis mine)
Even without the emphasis in the context of life in the Spirit, the heart to help others and the desire for unity and restoration, it should be obvious that comparisons, especially on our terms can be counterproductive to those ends.
What I keep on discovering, is that there is enough to be getting on with me not to go around looking at others and trying to draw consolation on areas in which I’m better or worse. There is enough to be getting on with me in the light of Jesus, not to have to be bothered with anything and anyone else. As a result if my concern is more to see me deal with my issues and help others progress in walking in the Light and walking in the Spirit, that should dispose of the whole go-compare game.
As I hinted, I recognise the difficulty in doing that, especially when people do such horrendous things. Yet something the Holy Spirit does well in exposing the sin of others is lead us to be convicted about the sin in ourselves. He does a marvellous job of that. Why? So we can ask God for mercy and forgiveness to be extended to others as we ask for it to be given to ourselves.
It’s not the abdication of responsibility, neither is it overlooking the consequences of acts. Rather it is the heart that acknowledges that I have my own load to carry and I’ll need the Spirit’s help to carry it. As a result whatever anyone else has done, the desire should be to see them on a path to being able to carry their own load again, rather than adding to that load and weighing them down to a standstill.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd
Life With CD 