I Am Not Better Than You

I am not better than you because I am a Christian. I am not better than you because I grew up in a Christian family. I am not better than you because I can do something that you can't. I am not better than you because I don't struggle with the same sin that you struggle with. I am not better than you.

My heart has been heavy with these thoughts. Jesus didn't save me so I could be more self-righteous. I am not better than you because I go to church on Sundays. The only thing that makes me better is Jesus' love. And it doesn't make me better than you. It makes me better than the person I was before I met Jesus. Jesus doesn't see people and compare them. He never did that with the woman at the well. He never did that with the Pharisees. He never did that to those who questioned who he was or what he taught. He loved the unlovable. He loved the broken. He loved the ones who asked for his love. He never once said no to a person that asked.

Church people are not any better than the visitor that walked in on that Sunday who dressed differently than us or who said something we wouldn't have. We are all humans who make mistakes every day and the only reason we have hope is because we trusted that Jesus' love and sacrifice could allow God to overlook our sins. God does not look down and see those who are loved and those who are not. He sees those he loves. Every county, every town, every city, every state, every nation, every continent. He sees the children with no parents who are seeking loving attention. He sees those who drown their sorrows in their drug of choice. He sees hurting people whom he has loved from the time they were created. You see, I am not better than you. I never will be. Comparing me to you is like comparing one broken jar to another. We are both helplessly inadequate when we are standing alone. The only thing that makes me better than who I used to be- is the love of Jesus in me.

You see, there are people who pretend that they are better than you. There are those who pretend their lives are all put together. There are those who pass judgment when judgment is not theirs to give out. But we are just as helpless as you. Our lives may look like they are put together, but we all have our secret demons. We all have our personal, private struggles that no one else even dreams we struggle with. We, all, at one point in time stay up late worrying about something. We all have moments when we wonder what is happening and why it is happening to us. But the only reason that I can see hope in a situation is because I know my God. My God took me as his own. My God promised to care for me. My God promised to do only what was best for me. Maybe not the best here on earth, but in eternity, the best will forever reign. My God promised to love someone he should have thrown away. My God loves like no one I have ever or will ever know. My God does. not. fail.

I am not better than you because of my accomplishments, my life, my beliefs. No. I am but a human. Jesus is the one that makes me who I am. Jesus gives me a view of the world in a way that I could never have on my own. So walk into our church and I promise not to judge you. I promise to love you because Jesus could love someone like me. Jesus promises to accept anyone that asks him to love. You don't have to become better before coming into church. You don't have to clean up your life or pretend your life is neat and tidy. No. Come as you are because Jesus sees the best in you because he loves you. And I promise to love you like Jesus because I am not better than you. I promise to love you because my God chose to love me. So you see, don't compare yourself to others. It will be a constant disappointment. Love yourself the way you are and constantly seek to become more like Jesus because through Jesus we have an undeniable love and light for those around us. Be happy in who you are because your identity is not in yourself but rather who you are seeped in Jesus' love. And Jesus' love is all you could ever ask for. I am not better than you. Jesus is better than us. Jesus is the one we should compare ourselves to. Love like Jesus.

~Sarah