Living on the Greener Lawn Part 1
My Neighbor's Lawn is Greener
We've all heard the dream-like statement that the grass really is greener on the other side. Or so it appears, at first glance. I like the variations that I've heard pertaining to this colloquialism.
- The grass may be greener, but it's fake.
- It depends on if it's being watered.
- It depends on who's standing on the other side.
Haha, maybe I just like the fact that other people overthink like me. Either way, this saying usually conveys the notion that a person's joy is stolen through the process of comparing themselves to others. We compare ourselves to others for different reasons. Sometimes it's to make ourselves feel better. Sometimes it's an action that reflects our jealousy. And very rarely, but quite possibly, we could compare ourselves to others in order to aspire to be like them. More often than not though, the art of comparing and contrasting ourselves to others has negative side effects. We even see this minuscule process in the Bible. In Samuel 8, the Israelites go to Samuel and demand that he provide them with a king so "That we may be like all the nations..." (vs. 20). Samuel's reaction to this? He immediately takes this situation to God in prayer. God tells him to give the people what they are asking for but He also tells Samuel to tell the Israelites what it will be like to have a king. Samuel then goes on to tell the people of Israel that their king will move with very selfish motives. This leads us to the first answer to, "Is the grass really greener?" The Israelites hear about the fake grass that other people are walking on and they are not deterred by it. They still want a different lawn.
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I Knew that Grass Looked Too Bright
Although we are fully capable of living a victorious life through Christ, and even commanded to, it's not difficult to tell when someone else's fruits are fake. This type of grass represents the people who claim to have it all together, when it is very clear that they do not. I'm not talking about people who are standing in faith either, I'm referring to those who are in denial that they need help. Those who are in pride.
Samuel revealed to the Israelites (per God's request) that their king that they were begging for would use even their children for his own selfish needs. Basically, having a king would be just for show, but he would care nothing for the people. This reaction resulted from a couple of different things; 1) The Israelites wanted the fake grass, just so that they could like similar to others. They were more concerned with appearance than the will of God. 2) They found more comfort in tangible things rather than in a God who loved them.
The Solution
Colossians 3:1-2 says, "If ye be risen with Christ (which we are!), seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth." Where we place our focus is up to us. We have a choice to make daily, whether to set our eyes on what's right in front of us, or to lift them toward our Creator. We have the choice to stare at our lawn and wonder why it's so dull, or we can lift our eyes to witness the sun, which the Father causes to rise for us all (Matthew 5:45).
