[291 words]
The Koreans have a term to describe a person who’s better at everything than you are, Umchina. If you translate it literally it’s “mom’s friend’s son.” Things are not that different here.
Everyone can find that person who we always fall short of (If you can’t ask your Mom). The standard of others is always a standard that will be a little too big for us. It can make us feel inadequate and incapable.
Aren’t you glad God doesn’t do that?
All of us will not be held to the standard of others but to our own. Another person’s judgment will not factor into it (Romans 14:4). It won’t matter what your mom’s friend’s son did but it will matter what you did!
“But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, ‘AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.’ So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:10-12).
Instead of trying to keep up with everyone else, we should focus on being the person that God intends us to be. Each of us has talents given to us for use in His kingdom. Just because someone has more doesn’t give us a reason to not use ours. I don’t have to preach like Paul or serve like Tabitha but I still have to do what I’m set to do.
You are not your Umchina. You don’t have to be. You do need to try to be the best YOU at everything you do!
Barry Haynes
Hope church of Christ
Hope, AR