You’re Sitting on a Gold Mine!

We always hear how competitive men are, right?

Well, let me just tell you, I know that us ladies can be super competitive, too! Just ask anyone that knows me or that has sat with me at any function where “games” are played and there is a prize to be won!

But, what I came to say is this, healthy competition is GREAT! I don’t think we should all go home with participation trophies… But, I’ve figured out that in our general day to day life, competition whether it’s to fit the illusion of being the best mom, or the illusion of the cleanest house, or maybe even just having the most followers on Instagram- it is so closely related to contentment!

I pose this question to you, What are you competing for? To make yourself feel better? To get recognition? Why is being the best, important to you? What I’m trying to get you to look at, is your motives.

Now obviously, I’ve switched gears from harmless game competition into another area that may be a struggle for us girls at times. But, in competition there is always comparison.

I just want to tell you that you don’t have to compare yourself with anyone else!

God made you, you! Instead, what we as Christian women need to focus on is being what we need to learn, from each other.

You don’t need to compete with the woman sitting beside you in the pew on Sunday morning! Don’t compare your husband to hers, your house to hers, your children to hers, or even your convictions to hers.

Instead, ask her advice if she is seasoned in an area of life that you aren’t. Or, befriend her so that you have a Christian relationship that can be mutually beneficial to you both. More seasoned Christians can shed some light on our struggles. They may have been there before. They may know what works and what doesn’t.

Don’t miss the gold mine that you have in other Christian women in your church.

You can learn from them all. And you can be an example to them as well. No matter your age, there are younger Christian women that you can mentor as well. It doesn’t have to be a label you created. It just needs to be a way of life.

“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17

The countenance here being the mind or spirit. Are you a life giving friend?

“We are role models either by default or by design.”

I love that quote in Francie Taylor’s book “Teachers of Good Things”. It has stuck with me for a few weeks now. Even us young whipper snappers are old to someone. (Yup, put myself in that young whipper snapper category. This is my blog, remember?!) 😉

You don’t have to look like her, dress like her, or be like her!

Instead of comparison, try a new word… Appreciation!

Try to appreciate that woman or that mom for her strengths and try to learn from her! Try to get away from always seeing the negative in a person. Dwell on their strengths and see what you can learn from each other. No one is perfect, but we all have some things we are good at. Let’s share them with each other.

Only compare your heart to Jesus!