I hope everyone had a safe and blessed day on our nation’s birthday! July 4th holds another celebration for me–it’s my sister’s birthday. Although I will admit to being upset many years ago on her third birthday…

I grew up in Memphis when neighborhoods were like small towns. Parents sat on the front porch while the kids played games together. Games like kick-the-can, hide-go-seek, Mother, May I… anyway, all the kids were talking about this big birthday party and I thought they were talking about my sister’s birthday. Remember I was only about seven.

Well, that put my nose out of joint, so to speak. I moped around, almost tripping over my bottom lip until my mother had enough. I can still see her in my mind’s eye–she’s standing on our little front porch, her hands on her hips. “What in the world is wrong with you?”

“Everybody is coming to Barbara’s birthday party and nobody ever comes to mine! (My birthday was in January so after Christmas, no one had money for parties or gifts, at least that’s they way I remembered it.) And everybody gets the day off for her birthday! And I don’t get anything on my birthday!” That last was a wail I can hear today.

This probably wasn’t the first time I encountered the Green-eyed Monster, but it’s the one that sticks in my mind. As does my mother’s response. Most of the time when I acted unreasonable, she would tell me if I didn’t straighten up and stop being whiney, she’d give me something to be whiney about, but this time she asked, “Do you think God would be very happy with the way you’re acting?”

I had to think about that. Finally, I shook my head even though I didn’t want to. “God doesn’t want us to compare ourselves to others,” she said. “When we do, we’ll either think we’re not as good as the person we compare ourselves to or we’ll think we’re better. He wants us to be happy with who He created us to be. He wants you to be happy for your sister because today is her birthday.”

It’s so easy to get caught up in the comparison game. Why isn’t my book selling as well so and so’s book? Why did he get a contract? My books are as good as his. And so it goes.

Galatians 5: 25-26 says “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.