It was Saturday morning.  There was a lot to do around the house in a short amount of time.  Company was coming.  Could we make it all happen in time?  I was counting on my two boys to make some progress in their rooms and bathroom while I tackled some other areas of the house.  I spoke to each of them individually to discuss their priorities.  Their to-do lists were different for a variety of reasons.  One reason was our oldest son’s room serves as the guest room.  He would need to work on his room more carefully while the other just needed to tidy up and then work on the bathroom.  I also wanted the boys to work to their strengths to make sure everything was accomplished nicely.

Confident that both boys had their top three mission objectives set, I left them to their work and began my own tasks.  After a bit I returned to check on their progress.  I found one working on his tasks and the other was not.  “What are you doing?”  I asked with more than a hint of frustration.  My son’s answer had nothing to do with what he was doing, but everything about what his brother was doing.  “No, no, no,” I replied.  “This has nothing to do with your brother.  I gave YOU specific tasks that I wanted YOU to do.  Don’t get distracted by what your brother is doing.  You need to make sure you are doing what I asked.  He has his own tasks.  You have yours.  Now you focus on yours.”

Have you ever had a time when the words coming out of your mouth were a word for someone else but you also sensed they were a word for you yourself?  Yeah, that was definitely this moment.  I felt like God was saying, “Pay attention to what you are saying because you need to hear it too!”  The words I spoke immediately reminded me of John 21:19b-22:

Then he [Jesus] said to him [Peter], “Follow me!”  Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them…When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”  Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?  You must follow me.”

So many times we get distracted by what is happening with someone else.  We have to compare.  And what happens when we compare?  Either we find we’re doing better than someone else and become conceited or we see that we’re lacking and become envious.  Neither option is healthy.

I have found that people are usually most enamored with those qualities that they do not possess.  I was recently in a Bible study and one of the ladies commented on how she admired the quiet, gentle spirit of a few in the group.  Here I was admiring her bubbly friendly spirit that made everyone feel welcome!

This is like an orange wishing it had smooth shiny skin like an apple.  All the while the apple wishes it was as juicy as the orange.  We all have different roles to play.  God made us differently.  Let’s realize who God made us to be and then embrace that.

Who has God called you to be?  You don’t need to know the whole picture.  All you need is one step at a time.  Then be responsive to that one step.  Be uniquely you.  Your call will be different from those around you.

Most of the time we start off on the right track, just like Peter and my son.  They started out focused.  Then they turned, moving their attention off their assigned task onto their brother’s task.  It was a move to compare and jockey for position.  It was not in response to a need.

Let me encourage you to be true to what God has for you in your next step!  I’d love to hear what it is!

These scriptures offer some excellent insight into what we’ve covered today.  Let them soak into your mind and spirit.
– Galatians 5:25-6:5
– 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
– 2 Peter 1:3-11 (*v10)
– Ephesians 4:20-5:2 (*v1)
– John 21:15-25