The Double-Edged Sword of Comparison in Homeschooling
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The topic of comparison is not new to homeschooling. In fact, it is not new to mankind in general. We naturally look around at other people or families and compare. We judge. We decide where we fit in the social structure and whether we want to associate with certain people based on the fruit we see.
This process of evaluation and action is a double-edged sword.
On one hand, we can use these moments to teach our children real discernment—what to avoid and how to keep from falling headlong into trouble. To say “do not judge” would be to stick our heads in the sand while a storm rages above us. We must teach our children to discern right from wrong, to follow good and run from evil, or we are being neglectful guardians of the hearts in our care.
On the other hand, we can (and often do) take that same valuable tool of discernment and twist it to feed our baser needs—to glorify ourselves at someone else’s expense. When comparison teams up with envy and jealousy, the result is division, hurt feelings, and broken relationships. What destructive fruit that is.
The motivation behind healthy discernment is the preservation of lives and hearts. The motivation behind the destructive kind is jealousy and glory-seeking.
Look at the fruit in your own life. Make changes if necessary. Choose wisely.
And perhaps the greatest lesson we can teach our children is not just which kind of comparison to avoid — but what it looks like when someone has learned to stop.