Read
Hebrews 3:1–19
Consider
We live in a world of comparisons. Since we were children, we would start comparing ourselves with others. Often we like to show that we are better than my friend, my classmate, and my neighbor. Listen to this joke that I found, and it illustrates this point.
Children tend to boast of everything they have including of their own fathers. Such children are the protagonists of this hilarious story. Three little boys were comparing their fathers, and each tried to beat the other two. They went on to brag about each father’s superior qualities.
The first boy said that his father is the fastest man in the world. He is so fast he can outrun a tiger. The second boy was not impressed. He said that his father runs faster than a cheetah.
Still, the third boy thought that his friends’ fathers are too slow compared to his father. “Well, mine works for the council, so he’s the fastest,” he said.
His playmates asked how working for the council makes one the fastest. The third boy replied, “He finishes work at 5.30, but he’s always home before 2 o’clock.”
In 1954, psychologist Leon Festinger proposed his social comparison theory and suggested that people have an innate drive to evaluate themselves, often in comparison to others. Such comparison is a way of establishing a benchmark by which we can make accurate evaluations of ourselves. One can compare with somebody who is better than you, and this is called upward social comparison. Assuming this process makes you more motivated to improve on your abilities. On the other hand, one can compare with somebody who is worse off than you and such downward social comparison may make you feel better about yourself, but sometimes it might prevent you from improving yourself.
This Sunday, I am going to share with you Scripture taken from Hebrews chapter 3. There the author tries to show that Jesus is greater than Moses. The Jewish Christians likely residing in Rome are very familiar with their hero Moses. He is the one who brought them out of slavery in Egypt and led them to the Promised Land. Yet the author let them know that this Jesus is very different, he is not only greater than Moses, but God the Son himself. So they need to shift the standard from Moses to Jesus Christ. In the midst of their going through sufferings and persecutions, it is important to steer them back to this ultimate standard. He is the only one who can provide them with blessings and hope in the midst of adversity.
This passage would be appropriate for us as we have gone through a lot in the last two years due to the COVID-19. It has caused us much inconvenience, loss, frustration, isolation, despair, hopelessness, and even a sense of unbelief. Let us see how this chapter can encourage us and warn us against unbelief.
Dr. Vincent Poon
Voluntary Counseling Pastor
Diving Deeper
Am I willing to humble myself and admit that I am nobody, but God is interested in me and wants me to be somebody?
Am I willing to accept Jesus’ mission and accepts Him into my life so that I can become a child of God and enjoy the privilege of being in God’s family and household?
Am I willing to follow God’s plan in my life and faithfully carry out the task he has set for me for the rest of my life?
Am I willing then to live in such a way to bring honor and glory to God, knowing that He is with me in all the difficult situations?
How can we live closer WITH GOD in our lives?
How are we being TRANSFORMED to be more like Christ?
How is the Holy Spirit empowering us to imitate Christ in what we DO this week?