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Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else Galatians 6:4

A Texan farmer went to Australia. While touring a local ranch, he struck up a conversation with an Aussie farmer. The Australian proudly pointed out his golden wheat fields. The Texan said, “Back home we’ve got wheat fields twice that size.” They walked a bit more, and the Aussie showed off his herd of cattle. Again, the Texan chimed in, “We’ve got cattle twice as big as yours.”

Then, a group of kangaroos bounded across the field. The Texan blinked and asked, “What are those?”The Aussie grinned and said, “Don’t you have grasshoppers in Texas?”

It’s a funny moment — where pride gets humbled and comparison falls flat. And honestly, we’ve all had our “Texan farmer” moments. Times when we’ve looked at someone else’s success, possessions, or talents and smugly thought, “Mine’s better.” Or maybe the reverse: “I could never measure up.”

Comparison is sneaky. It may look like confidence, but it often comes from insecurity. And whether we feel superior or inferior, the end result is the same: it shifts our focus away from what really matters: the work God has called us to do.

That’s why Paul encourages us in Galatians 6:4 to “pay careful attention to your own work.” Not your neighbor’s. Not your coworker’s. Not the person who seems to have it all together on social media. Just your own.

Because God has given each of us a unique field to tend. When we’re fixated on someone else’s wheat, cattle -- or kangaroos -- we miss the beauty of what’s right in front of us. But when we focus on being faithful with what God has entrusted us, we find a deep satisfaction that comparison can never give.

So, the next time you’re tempted to measure yourself against someone else, remember the Texan and the kangaroos. God didn’t call you to be the best. He’s just asking you to be faithful with what he’s given you.

- alan smith

Father, help me to stay focused on what you’ve called me to do. Guard my heart from comparison and pride, and teach me to find joy in being faithful in the work you’ve given me. In Jesus’ name, amen.