The saying “keeping up with the Joneses” originated in 1913 from a comic strip by the same name. As you might expect, the theme of the sketch was the ongoing struggle of the McGinis family to keep up with their neighbors’ social status. In one episode Mrs. McGinis says, “Look at Mrs. Jones! She goes to matinees, she entertains, she wears wonderful clothes, she gets ‘something out of life.’ Aloysius P. McGinis, you’ve simply got to make more money!” Her husband dutifully responds, “I’ll ask the boss for a raise today Clarice.”
The comic hasn’t been published since 1940 but the adage remains in use because the sentiment is as relevant today as it ever was. The marketing industry is built on it. “Buy this product and you’ll [stand taller, think quicker, be more likeable, look younger] than your neighbor.” They’re capitalizing on our habit of measuring ourselves against others.
Regrettably, Christians are as guilty of it as anyone (including pastors!) Facts about my life include that I am a former police officer, a mountain biker and a pastor. When police officers first meet each other, the question inevitably comes up, “So how many officers does your department have?” When talking to a fellow mountain bike enthusiast it’s, “So what kind of bike do you have?” (Translation, “How expensive is it?”) Pastor’s never start there, but eventually it comes out, “How many do you have in your church?” We can’t seem to keep from sizing each other up in superficial ways.
A version of this takes place in the heart of Christians when they compare their “religious output” to other believers. Thoughts invade the mind like, “All her kids are saved, but mine aren’t.” “He understands doctrinal stuff so much better than I do.” “Their prayers are much more eloquent than mine.” Questions like these are not helpful. In fact, they’re the wrong questions entirely. The right question is, “Am I being faithful with what God has entrusted to me?”
This is the point of the Parable of the Talents (Mt. 25:14-30) which, unfortunately, is regularly misinterpreted. Many people focus on three characters, the servant with five talents, the one with two talents and the guy with only one. The thinking goes like this—definitely don’t be the guy with only one and, if you’re a two-talent Christian, do what you can to level up to a five-talent one. This not only perverts the teaching, but it also contributes to the comparison problem.
In the parable there are, in fact, three characters, but they are God, the good servants and the wicked servant. The Master (God) gave to each man “according to his ability.” When the Master returned from His journey, He took stock of what each person did with what he had been given. The five-talent servant produced five more because that was his ability. The two-talent servant produced two talents more because that was his ability. To each of these the Master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your Master.”
Due to his limited ability, the least was expected from the one-talent servant. Yet he did nothing with it that would benefit his Master. As a result, he received the blistering rebuke, “You wicked and slothful servant!” and was cast into the outer darkness. The one talent he had was then taken and given to the one that had the most.
When you remove comparisons from the parable you realize there is no room for pity for the one-talent servant. He had the lowest bar to cross and he failed to put forth even a minimal effort to step over it. The question is not “how can I improve my position?” but “am I faithful according to my ability?”
You are who God made you to be. Instead of longing to be something you’re not, seek to make the most of what God has given to you. Don’t look at the “Joneses” to see what you don’t have. Look to God to make the most of what you do have. Maximize your service to the Lord according to your ability.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. (1 Cor. 15:10)