The Comparison Trap

     Sitting in a pizza shop in Little Italy I noticed a group of, what I guessed, were Italian girls. They sat down a table away from us and I glanced over at them suddenly aware of how pretty each of them were. They all had sun kissed skin, were thin, fashionable, and just overall beautiful. I became aware of my appearance: disheveled from walking, sweaty from the sun bearing down on me, and in my eyes not even close to their level. Envy and desire started to fill me as my mind starting thinking: If only I was Italian and spoke a different language and easily tanned and was skinny like them, then I would be truly beautiful. 

    How often do we, as girls, think this? I'm constantly comparing myself to the girls I walk by, the girls on social media, and sometimes even the girls in my own family. I'm always finding ways to belittle my own appearance and desire for what someone else has, which is such an unhealthy habit to have.

    This is called the comparison trap. One comparison slowly leads to another and then another, and before we know it we're constantly criticizing ourselves. Every outfit, every hairstyle, every makeup look... isn't good enough. We seem to never be able to live up to the standard we've created in our mind.

   "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice." (James 3:16) The Bible even points out multiple times what being caught in this trap of comparison can lead too. Comparison starts out as just an innocent observation, but allowed to grow it becomes a mindset of jealousy, envy, and self hatred. Theodore Roosevelt even understood this struggle saying,"Comparison is the thief of joy." When we're in a mindset of comparing we stop feeling joy with what God created us to be.

    God didn't create us in His image for us to spend our time criticizing how He should of made us better. It's like going to a world renowned artist and telling him how he could've painted an image better, you just wouldn't do that. Knowing that any image the artist paints, each one different and unique in it's own way, will still be beautiful and priceless. It's the same way with God. He made each of us specially, I mean if we all looked the same that would be super boring, no? But just like the artist every image God has ever created is all just as exquisite as the next, because we know how renowned the creator is.

   So as girls we need to learn to stop comparing. Learning to admire other girls beauty without questioning our own beauty. Instead of seeing that girls big eyes or skinnier legs as something we wished we had, why not get in a mindset of complimenting her dedication to fitness and the way her eyes sparkle when she smiles. We have to start looking at ourselves not as a project that still isn't finished, but as a magnificent creation that God so carefully and precisely molded. Start learning how to see yourself through God's eyes, and trust me the way He sees you is absolutely and positively beautiful.

   - Rachel