"Well, I do more than brother Jones and I'm better than..."Ever notice when members of the church are questioned, concerning their lack of attendance or diligence in the Lord's work, many give this response. My answer to that is always the same--SO WHAT?

Does my comparison to other members of the body of Christ have an impact on my salvation? Let us examine the scriptures.

Do we have a responsibility to self? "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified. "{2 Corinthians 13:5} We need to take a hard look at self instead of others.

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Philippians 2:12 Let worry about OUR salvation first instead of the other person's faults.

Does what others do have an impact on my duty to God? "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself."{Ezekiel 18:20} God is going to judge me on my works not the lack in my brother!

"Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin."{James 4:17} I know what my duty to God is. If my brother is lacking in some area, does that make my sin somehow better? For the life of me I will never understand the reasoning of some of my brethren. Is the sin in my brother's life somehow making mine less wrong in God's sight? Did I miss something here? All sin separates us from God, Isaiah 59:1,2. Mine and my brother's!

Why not compare ourselves to good examples? What about how Jesus overcame temptations from the devil? Matthew 4:1-11 What about Stephen's determination to speak truth to a hostile people? Acts 7:51-60 Look at the true forgiveness displayed by Joseph to his brothers. Genesis 50:19,20 What about the determination to spread the word by the early Christians? Acts 8:4

There is a reason why members compare themselves to weaker members-- to build themselves up in their own eyes. The question is, what does God think? To ask the question is to answer it!