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August 21, 2025

“You must follow ME”

August 21, 2025 by JESSICA JOLLEY COMPARISON Contentment
“You must follow ME”
“Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.’”
John 21:22

“Please don’t make me go to school tomorrow!” 


My five-year-old daughter pleads with me through her streaming tears. Her daily fears of kindergarten were nothing new, but this time it seemed deeper. 


And then it hits me. She has PE tomorrow. I press further, and the truth gushes out of her. 


“Everyone’s faster than me when we race! I’m always last!” 


She already wants to fit in. Already wants to measure up to those around her. Before I jump in to my well-rehearsed discourse, I’m stopped in my tracks. Had I not just done the exact same thing today? 


This mom was serving in full-time ministry, so obviously I need to do more, too. 


This family’s adoption wait had taken no time at all—why does ours have to be so difficult? 


This friend had so eloquently taught that small group at church. I’ll never measure up to that. 


We see yet another example of this same dastardly worry in Scripture when Jesus is speaking with Peter after His ascension and temporary return. Jesus asks Peter the same three redemptive questions— “Peter, do you love me?… Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17). But Peter immediately sees John and asks what is going to happen to him. 


Jesus’ reply? “What is that to you? You must follow me” (John 21:22, emphasis added). 


When we are so busy looking to the right and to the left, comparing ourselves to frail human beings as opposed to lifting our eyes to the One who created the very hairs on our heads and numbered our days, we fail to first seek the Lord’s wisdom and will. We become either puffed up in pride or torn down in defeat, rendered useless to how he desires to use us specifically. 


The Lord created us all with different gifts (1 Cor. 12) and different roles (Eph. 4:11). We must fight to rest in what He has in store for us, knowing we can submit to a good Father who loves us. That’s where we find true contentment and peace. After all, it is all from Him (1 Cor. 4:7) and for Him. 


So that next day, after my daughter and I had discussed our common struggle together, she still came in last during her race. But this time, she congratulated the winners. She laughed with her friends even as they sped ahead of her. And when I asked her how that made her feel, she replied, 


“I was OK, Momma. God made us all different.”


She didn’t notice as I wiped a tear from my face, breathing deeper because—thank God that He did. 

Closing Prayer
Lord, will you help us to seek your will for our lives and our everyday first? It is so easy to become distracted by comparison to others, and we so desperately want to submit our lives and our gifts to you, to glorify your name alone. Remind us that you are writing a unique story in our lives. Let us trust that story to you, knowing that it is all from you and for you. Amen.
Resources
Article: Comparison Is Not the Thief of Joy by Abigail Dodds, Desiring God I love how this article focuses on a different take of comparison — she writes on what can be the positive aspects of comparison when comparing with the holiness of Christ and seeing that also lived out in others. An example of this is when Paul says, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).
Question for Reflection

Where are you focused and distracted by comparison to the lives of others? How can you give that comparison to the Lord and instead ask for contentment with what he has asked of you?

Comments
Jessica Jolley
August 21, 2025

I already shared a few very real, very vulnerable comparison situations I have struggled with, but the biggest one I am fighting against in this season of my life is comparison to other mommas who are also in ministry, especially the other global worker mommas around me here in Nairobi.
One way I want to continue fighting against this is immediately stopping myself and speaking truth over myself when those thoughts pop up — “Each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them” (1 Cor. 7:17); “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10); “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Cor. 4:7).