Comparison Christianity

Who am I? What is it that gives me value and worth? Am I pleasing God? Will I ever be content with myself and my contribution?
When I begin to answer these questions, my natural inclination is to look sideways at my brother. I begin to develop scales upon which to weigh our efforts. If I am smarter or stronger or more spiritual, then I am worthwhile. If I fall short in any of these areas, then I am inferior and I swallow the bitterness of jealousy and self-condemnation. If I allow myself to continue along this neurotic path, I will soon be speaking in superlatives and will have enslaved myself to an impossible dream.
This strange malady breeds well in Christian circles. If my numbers or dollars or buildings or buses measure well against your numbers or dollars or buildings or buses, then my ministry has value. This comparison, along any line, brings competition. And if I see that you are running too far ahead, I will break fellowship. I will find some chink in your armor and rationalize my superiority. Now comparison has bred criticism.
"Each one should carry his own load" (see Galatian 6). When I look inside, I see my own strengths and weaknesses, virtues and vices. I have my own gifts and my own responsibilities. I am an individual. To compare myself with you is to deny my uniqueness. I will test my actions in a divine mirror. I can take pride in myself because of my growth without ever looking at what you are doing. If I see distortion in the mirror, I find no condemnation. I admit weakness and consider it a challenge to change.
"Carry each other's burdens." Comparison will never breed cooperation. We will never work together if I measure myself against you. Instead, I must rejoice in your strength when I am weak and be grateful for the strength I possess when you stumble.
It seems a general rule that in competition there must always be a "winner" and a "loser," the "victor" and the "vanquished." This is not true when comparision enters Christianity. We both lose.