Coping with financial disparity compared to peers
“Keeping up with the Joneses” and the art of joyless stewardship
Ah, comparison. While some comparison and friendly competition can inspire you to achieve, comparing yourself to others in the financial arena is only sometimes helpful. The reality is that we have yet to walk the same path, had the same opportunities, made the same mistakes, suffered the same losses, or learned the same values and lessons about money. And, we all have different financial priorities.
So why would we compare ourselves to others? Comparison has been part of our social upbringing since we were kids. We were encouraged to compare ourselves to other people. Be more like your older brother. Get grades as high as Kathy’s. Play baseball as well as Billy. Go to a good college so you get a good job like Reagan. As we became adults, we regularly encounter advertisers using comparison to differentiate their product from a competitor and inspire prestige. A car is just a car unless it’s a BMW, “the ultimate driving machine.”
When taken too far, comparison becomes a distraction that can take you off your own path and foster discontent. It tempts you to live a life based on other people’s values and goals instead of your own. Teddy Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Mark Twain went a step further, saying, “Comparison is the death of joy.” Both men were on to something. We never seem to win when we compare ourselves to another.
What does scripture have to say about comparison, money, and wealth? Here are a few verses to reflect upon:
Matthew 6:19-21 - Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 – Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Matthew 6:25 - Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
These verses reflect God’s promises to provide for us and never leave us, and we are cautioned to put our faith and hope in the right things for satisfaction. God calls us to a life of faithful dependence on Him and His provision for our lives. We bring our abilities and work ethic to the table, and we need to be wise with the resources entrusted to our care, but comparing our resources to what God has entrusted to another is not part of the equation. While that can be harder in times of income loss or underemployment, God doesn’t call us to a different standard during those times.
Remind yourself today that God’s faithfulness and consistency are part of His nature. Remember He will never leave you and has promised to provide for you. Whether you are experiencing financial abundance or living paycheck to paycheck, your heavenly Father knows you, sees your needs, and promises to provide for you. That promise can help you keep your eyes focused on His provision and not on how you compare to others. And then you will be free to joyfully steward all He has given to you.
