KINDNESS - Champions by the Fruit of the SpiritSample

Kindness vs Comparisons

Bible story: King Saul and David (1 Samuel 18:5-16)

Theme Verse: Galatians 6:4

This week we are studying the fruit of the spirit "kindness," and we will see how comparisons can come against kindness in a major way. Comparisons can be painful for everyone involved. This is where we look at what another person has in gifts, abilities, time, or money and compare that to others or ourselves. In this week's Bible story, we see King Saul getting jealous of David and becoming very angry. However, the interesting part is that his jealousy began when the crowds started to compare the two men. Before the crowds started comparing, King Saul was not angry with David at all! In fact, King Saul was pleased to have David play the harp for him. He was also grateful when David killed Goliath. Everything was fine until the women came out singing songs of comparison. The army men were on their way home from the battle against Goliath and the Philistines, when the women came out dancing and singing, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands."

We cannot blame the women for the hatred that developed in Saul's heart. King Saul is responsible for his own actions. However, it is interesting to note that it all started when the women began publicly comparing the men, and putting David above the king. At this time, David had not killed more men than the king. David had only just killed Goliath! It is very easy for all of us to compare ourselves amongst ourselves. However, this is not good, it is not kind to others, and God asks us not to do it. God wants us to look at ourselves only and to judge ourselves compared to what God asks of us.

One way that we publicly compare others is in social media, like Facebook. We post pictures and compare our lives with other people's lives. Even worse is when we create comparisons publicly between other people, just as the women did in our Bible story. We look at different ministries, compare them, and can cause anger or frustration amongst them. Or someone shares a great testimony, and we have to "one-up" them by telling a better one. Have you ever seen one person who throws a great party, and then another has to have an even better party? Let us not be unkind with comparisons, but allow differences and similarities without getting jealous!

Questions:

1. With whom do you normally compare yourself? How does it make you feel?

2. In what ways do you see comparisons in Facebook or other social media in your circle of friends?

3. Do the people in your community try to have bigger and better parties?

Life Application:

Give yourself 20 small balls at the beginning of the week. Each time you find yourself comparing yourself to others, take away one ball. This includes Facebook or other online applications where we often compare ourselves to others. If you need to, go off Facebook for the whole week.