you are you

I used to go to my friend's place back home to read the Slam Dunk manga. My friend came from Hong Kong and he bought the volumes in Chinese, so I had to just look at the figures and guessed the dialog. The manga is about basketball, and there is this particular game in which the captain of the main team (who plays in the center position) is getting owned by the opponent's center, and he is losing his confidence and making many mistakes. Then one of his past rival knocks the sense out of him, and he is reminded that "he is he", and "I am me" (reference). He quits comparing himself to his opponent, and starts doing his best for the team :D.

This reminds me of a struggle that some of us have in comparing ourselves with others. I see a lot of that among traditional Chinese parents who like to compare us with siblings or cousins in terms of academic performance and success in life. Some of us tend to compare ourselves with other members of the fellowship in terms of spiritual maturity, leadership, serving, etc. I personally think that is very damaging because low-esteem and feelings of inadequacy appear in one end, and resentment and envy appear in the other end. All these hurt the body of Christ.

We have to remember that each of us is a beloved child of God. And that we are one in Spirit, we share the same faith, we have one Lord, and we are united by His love (Eph. 4). Even though each of us are given different gifts and services, it is by the same Spirit (1 Cor. 12) and with the same purpose to glorify God and edify the body. Every good work that is done through our fellowship is to glorify God, and make His name known to others. Each of us is given a plate, and by God's grace we do our best to serve for His Kingdom with what we have been entrusted. At the end of the day it is between God and you.

So yeah, you are you, he is he, she is she, I am me. Don't compare, but do the best you can for our winning team to further God's Kingdom.