The Mixed-up Chameleon - The One Year Sweet and Simple Moments with God Devotional

Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!

2 Corinthians 10:12

In this verse, Paul was defending his authority because he was taking some heat from critics for both his appearance and his oratorical delivery, which others thought was lacking. I have to confess that I used to have a bad habit of comparing myself with other women, which would make me feel woefully inadequate. I wanted to attain Diane’s professionalism, Katherine’s taste, Brenda’s typing skills, Shawn’s sense of style, Pam’s beauty, Grandma Hazel’s cooking skills, Faye’s wisdom, Sherry’s skin, my mama’s legs, and my daughter’s memory. I believed that when I did, I would be so much stronger and better.

It reminds me of Eric Carle’s picture book The Mixed-Up Chameleon. In the story, the chameleon tries on the trunk of an elephant, adds the bushy tail of a fox, then dons the pink legs of a flamingo. As more and more unnatural things are added, the chameleon is so weighed down with his creative new look that he can no longer change colors or catch a fly with his tongue. He was one ugly reptile.

This book hit close to home. As I looked at other women and wished I had what they had, pretty soon I was a Mixed-Up Mama, and I looked ugly too. I became ineffective and unable to accomplish what God had prepared for me to do. Now I’ve learned we can all celebrate what other women have, what God has given them, and we all look better for it.

The Lord knit together each of us in our mothers’ wombs. We are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:13-14, KJV). We are perfectly put together, whether we feel like it or not. “Thank You, Lord, that in obedience to You, we don’t need to compare ourselves to others, but we can live each day in gratefulness for our uniqueness. Thank You that You love us and use us just as we are.”

Let’s ask a friend to gently remind us if we are comparing ourselves to others.