Comparison is everywhere.
With every swipe on our phones, every conversation with a friend, and every update we receive, it's easy to compare ourselves to the people near us and those far away. Intellectually, we know that what we see online is the edited, filtered highlight reels of other people's lives. Jon Acuff famously wrote, "We compare our behind-the-scenes footage to other people's highlight reel." Our insecurity, anxiety, and discontentment often stem from this kind of unhealthy comparison.
But, comparison is not always a bad thing. In 1 Corinthians 6, the Apostle Paul invites the believers to compare where they are today to where they once were, reflecting on how the Gospel transformed their lives. In Romans 8:18, Paul compares his present sufferings with the future glory God will reveal one day.
There's another healthy comparison. It's on full display in Brandon Lake's new song, "That's Who I Praise." Lake compares many figures from the Old and New Testaments as he considers how he wants to praise God and why God is worthy of such praise.
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Like the "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11, Lake identifies a list that requires both hands to count from one end of the Bible to the other. I'm not sure I've ever sung the names "Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego" in a worship song before this one. But, Lake compares the ways these men and women from the Old and New Testament to his desire to praise God.
Lake mentions King David, Paul, his missionary partner Silas, the three difficult-to-pronounce names from above, Moses, Mary Magdalene, Daniel, the people who marched around Jericho, and the example of Jesus himself. Each offering a picture of the kind of praise Lake seeks to bring.
Ultimately, the song moves to focus on God's worthiness to be praised like this. Within the bridge, Lake sings these words.
"He is the lion of Judah
He is the lamb that was slain
The only One who's worthy, worthy
Worthy of all of His names"
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The movement of the song from men and women to emulate the worthy and incomparable God we serve, in some ways, shows us a more healthy path to comparison. We can move from unhealthy comparison to a healthier version that inspires us rather than provoking our insecurity. We can allow comparison to encourage and motivate us to greater faith.
But, ultimately, comparison is incomplete if we haven't compared ourselves to God. Praise is the result of comparing ourselves to God, our efforts to His, and our character to His own. When we reflect on His glory, as Lake does here, we do so with full knowledge of our weaknesses and limits. We recognize the worthiness of God and our unworthiness of His favor.
Like other songs in his library, Lake treats praise as a response to God's character and movement in his life. But Lake also praises God as an offensive weapon when facing fear, doubt, or the power of sin.
In Psalms 28, David wrote powerful words about his experience with praise.
"Praise the Lord!
For he has heard my cry for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving."
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Every day, I fight the battle against unhealthy comparisons. I'm not too fond of the lack of contentment, anxiety, and inadequacy that often arise within me. But, when I listen to "That's Who I Praise," I'm reminded of who God is and who I am, including who I am not. Considering the majesty of God and the massive ways He has worked in the world throughout history, I feel compelled to praise Him. The same overwhelming feeling occurs when I consider the majestic things God has done in my life, too.
If your screen time is too high and you're feeling dissatisfied because of all you've seen, consider changing the direction of your comparison. Allow God to guide your comparison in a way that leads you to praise, wonder, and gratitude. The kind of praise we hear in "That's Who I Praise" is the kind we pour out to God, even as we find ourselves filling up with greater faith and confidence. That kind of filling is not available in any of our feeds!
Scott Savage is a pastor, author, and speaker with the best last name in the world. Scott’s writing helps people transform difficult circumstances into places where they can thrive. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona, and loves watching movies with his wife and three kids. You can begin Scott’s life-changing project, The 21 Day Gratitude Challenge, today.
