Jesus gives us favour

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Compare and Despair

The danger of comparison and how it destroys healthy relationships
Speaker: Cameron Mathers
Series: Hall of Mirrors
Date: 18th May, 2026
Download: Compare and Despair
Plays: 1
Views: 5
Sermon notes: 

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Compare and Despair

If we can all turn into our Bibles once Samuel 18:6 to 16.

Familiar passage.

About Saul and David.

When I was  preparing for this sermon, it made me think about sort of growing up. I've got three older sisters. Three sisters who growing up were highly intelligent. They excelled. They got their A's. They got their A stars. They did their homework. They achieved. And then there was me.

I, for years of my early years of school, struggled to spell, struggled to read. Struggled to do many things I look at my both my sons struggle with. That was me. So I remember this one period. I had some exams coming up. And I had failed most of my exams.

 

And I remember achieving a C for this paper. And Dad's like,

"That's wonderful." And my sister turns around and she says,

"You've grounded me when I got a C." And he said,

"That's because of you could have done better."

However, today, I've been titled the sermon Stop Comparing.

How Saul lost himself and how Christ can serve us free.

So 1 Samuel 18:6-6, it says,

"As they were coming home,

when David returned,

from striking down the Philistine,

the women came out of all the cities of Israel,

singing and dancing to meet King Saul.

With tambourines, with songs of joy,

with music of instruments,

and the women sang to another,

and they celebrated Saul has struck down his thousands.

And David,

his tens of thousands.

And Saul was very angry.

And this saying,

'Displeased him.' He said,

'They've ascribed to David tens of thousands. And to me,

they've ascribed thousands.

' And what more can he have but the kingdom?

" And Saul kept an eye on David from that day on.

So set in the scene with context,

to understand the weight of this.

We have to understand that this very scene is about two lives colliding,

like two cars coming together.

And as we go through this,

it exposes the danger of comparison.

It exposes the danger of comparison.

To set the scene, Saul,

the man,

had everything.

First, King of Israel.

The Bible says he was tall. Impressive.

Physically imposing.

Chosen by God.

Anointed by Samuel.

He started humble.

One battles.

United tribes.

And carried authority.

Yet.

As we read about Saul,

we see internal struggles.

The fear of people.

Impatience.

Disobedience.

Insecurity.

Saul's downfall began before David ever arrived.

David simply exposed what was already going on inside.

Today,

there are things going on in each one of our lives.

David.

The man who had nothing,

but God, at this time.

The polar.

David started with humble beginnings.

The youngest of eight.

A shepherd.

He was even overlooked by his father.

So if you overlook your son today,

he could be the next David.

So stop.

He was anointed in secret. A worshipper.

A warrior. When no one was looking,

he was killing lions and bears with his own hands.

Has anyone else done that?

That's pretty cool.

Before killing Goliath in public,

David didn't seek the throne.

The throne sought after him.

Because he had a portion that God had given him.

The same as today,

every one of you here today has a portion and inheritance allotted by God for his purposes.

So  Their lives collide.

David rises.

So David kills Goliath. Israel explodes with joy.

Saul brings David into the palace.

David becomes a commander.

David succeeds in everything he does.

But let's look at Saul's reaction.

Saul notices.

Saul threatens.

Saul begins to what? Compare.

So this is a crazy place.

Because Saul himself is the king with everything.

But because his insecurity led him to comparison,

he.

His eyes off of the blessings and the provision God had given.

And put them on someone else's inheritance.

That was never going to be his.

It's a bit like me wanting Roy's skill on the drum.

I can aspire for it.

But I'm never going to be there because I'm terrible with my rhythm.

But I could attempt to.

But that's the trouble, though.

Saul didn't want David to succeed.

We see this. Twice.

Not just once. Twice in Samuel.

He throws a spear at him.

A bit like when you don't do the washing up and the wife chucks plates at you. No.

Tries to trap David in a marriage.

Sends assassins to his house.

Hunts him in the wilderness.

But you know,

the interesting part here before we get on to our point,

David actually doesn't retaliate.

He doesn't retaliate.

David didn't compare at that time.

At that time,

David never covets after Saul's destiny.

But the one thing we need to remember today is who did David put his trust in?

God. Today,

are you putting your trust in God?

Are you putting your trust in you trying to achieve the destiny you feel you have for yourself?

We'll go through this.

So who do you become when God blesses someone else?

What rises in you when someone else is praised more than you?

Is your identity anchored in Christ?

Or is it shaken by looking at others?

Or are you here today?

Does God still see me when others seem more blessed?

Yes. He sees you.

He says,

"Be still and know I'm God."

But why does God allow others to rise when I struggle?

Because God's time?

Is different for everyone.

If I look at the story of what I opened up with my sisters, you know,

I've done awful in school up until my GCSEs.

And I had some amazing people around me.

Some amazing tutors.

And I achieved some really good grades.

So I went from failing to succeeding.

With only a few changes.

But the blessing?

Does God have a plan for me? Or am I actually just pine?

In Jeremiah, it says, "You'll be prepared."

You have a plan. There is a hope.

There is an allotment. And portion.

For you and you and you and you and you.

All of us. So if you struggle today,we're preparing.

Trust God has a future for you.

So comparison is not harmless. Comparison is a seed.

And in 1 Samuel 18, which we read, we watch that seed grow into tragedy.

So if you're feeling like Saul today, I will pray for you.

Like.

My story,

I compared to my sisters.

I struggled.

But the internal impact it had is for so long,

I felt behind. For so long,

I felt less than.

Felt not enough of.

The expectation of being a pastor's son,

growing up,

was there was an expectation put on my shoulders.

Whether there was or whether there wasn't,

I felt there was.

I felt like I had to I was expected to achieve I had to be the spiritual one. But inside,

I was.

Hearing the comparison.

You're not enough.

You're not like them. You're not messing up. Or you're not measuring up.

Who am I without comparison?

God says,

"You are God's workmanship."

Which means we are workers. For God's glory.

And.

That's the interesting dynamic of comparison.

We start with, "What God wants?"

Or we start with,

"What we want?"

And sometimes they had a polar opposite.

And sometimes We need horses to have blinkers.

Sometimes we need spiritual blinkers to draw us in.

I'm looking at the phone.

I'm drawing I'm looking in the mirror.

But this is to draw us spiritually in. Because who knows life is hard.

And it doesn't.

Stop.

And comparison can lead to many things. So we get to finally point one.

Comparison begins small.

So the women's son sort of.

Sang Saul had struck down thousands and David his tens of thousands.

A victory song.

Not a comparison. Yet.

Saul heard comparison where none was intended.

Have you ever heard something that wasn't actually said?

It's a bit like I had a friend. I could turn around and say,

"Oh, Katie looks very nice today."

And he would always turn around and probably say, "What are you saying?

I don't look nice?" Well, that's not what I'm saying here. You missed the point.

Have you ever taken someone's praise as criticism?

Three truths from the text so far we can see about just that small comparison.

Comparison begins with misinterpretation.

This is a victory song.

This is they were commending David.

It was never about Saul.

So maybe which I have to tell myself many times is remove myself from the situation.

Because if Saul had done that,

he would have realized they were declaring the fact there was victory for the kingdom.

Comparison grows in insecure soil.

When.

We have insecurities, that we allow to manifest,

which we all have insecurities,

it can take us onto a path of comparison.

This.

Is something that I struggle with. Struggled with. Comparison distorts identity.

And growing up in the dynamic of the family I did was one of great blessings.

Having been brought up in church.

Having gone through everything. Actually,

I look back and I realized that's a blessing.

But as my dad would always say,

"Son,

I can't live your life for you.

Son.

I can't live your life for you."

And actually,

it's true. We all have a destiny.

We all have a portion.

We all have an inheritance.

So stop assuming comparison.

Stop reading rejection into someone else's celebration.

Stop letting other people's success shrink who you are.

How do I rebuild identity after years of insecurity? Romans 12:2,

renew your mind.

It's not a once occurrence. It is a daily, daily thing.

How do I stop competing with people I love?

Hebrews 12:1 says,

"Run your race.

" Run your race.

Not Janet's race.

Janet can run.

Janet's race a lot better than Cameron can.

But you all need to run your race.

Point two.

Comparison can grow a deep 1 Samuel 18:8-11.

And Saul was very angry.

And this saying, displeased him, he said,

"Pay the scribe to David tens thousand or tens of thousands and to me by the scribe thousands."

And what more can he have but the kingdom?

And Saul kept an eye on David from that day.

The next day, a half of spirit.

Rushed upon Saul and he raved within his house.

So he sent so David was playing the liar as he did day in,

day Saul had his spear in his hand and Saul held the spear for he fought.

I'll pin David to the wall.

But David evaded him twice.

Comparison grows deep.

So what this comparison has actually led to is consciousness.

Consciousness is not wanting what someone has but believing you deserve what God gave them.

Comparison is cemented as desire twisted by resentment.

Admiration posed by entitlement,

jealousy,

matures into bitterness.

So Paul says it this way.

Covetousness leads to temptation.

Traps spiritually ruined.

But Paul compares it.

He compares it to idolatry.

Putting a god above our god.

Jesus himself,

we can see this in the parable of the rich fool.

He says,

"A man who had everything but what did he want?

More and more and more and more riches."

But he was poor inside.

So today you might have little physically, but spiritually you might be the richest person here.

Free truths from that this part of text.

Comparison becomes insecurity.

Insecurity becomes covetousness.

And covetousness becomes hostility.

So.

We have to be very careful how much we want other things.

So God has given us desire.

And emotion.

God has given us ambition.

There is nothing wrong with ambition as long as you know it is from God and for his blessing. Not our own.

If you know that God blesses and you're not the blesser,

you.

Stop.

Wanting someone else's story.

I had a good,

good friend and I still have a good, good friend.

Again,

his brother was an amazing singer.

His other brother was also an amazing singer.

Fricking now is in the military, succeeding at his identity.

However,

the trouble is he started to try to live his brother's identity issue is it's terrible at singing.

It's terrible at dancing.

And actually, it led him down to trying to commit suicide.

It wasn't until he realized that those.

Things weren't for him.

So how do I stop comparing my life as falling apart with anchor? Who knows what an anchor is?

What.

Do we anchor in? God's presence.

How.

Do I celebrate others when I'm hurting?

Remember,

their blessing is not your loss.

Let's celebrate with one another today as a church.

How do I avoid covetousness when I genuinely need what others have?

And this is one of the hardest things.

Trust God's provision.

You can say to me,

"Cameron,

you don't understand." Of course I don't understand.

I'm not in your shoes.

I can help. I can pray.

We can trust together.

This church is bound by individuals with different talents.

It's a diverse group of people coming together to glorify God.

And actually,

I'm really glad Jen got up to front to encourage people to go to the diversity thing and inclusion on Friday.

Because every one of us has a place here. In God's kingdom.

Every one of us.

So what about when life gets hard?

When comparison hits hardest?

Where it's unemployment, underpayment,

bills piling up, watching others get promoted,

let's.

Anchor three things. God sees you.

Sees you when no one else sees you.

God.

Will provide what you need.

But.

Interesting here with the kingdom of God, God uses lack to prepare you.

Why.

Does God allow me to struggle while others succeed?

Because God forms you in caves and not palaces.

God forms you from clay.

Whose ever used clay to form anything?

I'm terrible.

I was terrible at art. But it takes time.

It takes a moulding.

And some would say the refiner's fire.

So point three. You know what?

Glory to God.

Christ breaks comparison.

So in 12 to 16,

Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him.

But had departed from Saul.

So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of 1,000.

He went out and came in before the people.

And David had success in all his undertakings.

But the Lord was with him.

And when Saul saw that he had great success,

he stood in fearful awe of him.

But all Israel and Judah loved David for he went out and came in,

performed the Lord was with David.

The same as the Lord is with us today.

Three truths from this text.

Christ restores identity.

Christ affirms calling.

And Christ provides contentment.

It was not until I realized that I could not live my dad's journey.

I could not live my sister's journey.

I could not live anyone's journey.

But I then found myself in a place that actually I found myself in a place that comparison wasn't breaking me.

And I believe every one of us at times in our life compare.

What I'm challenging you today is don't allow that comparison to take you down a path.

But the same is the same as Saul.

Because each one of you has great blessings in your life.

And I want you to see that today.

I want you to see that today.

Walking confidently in a God-given lane.

As a church,

let's celebrate others because the God has a plan for all of us.

Rest in the truth that God's portion is for you and not for someone else.

So how does Jesus practically break comparison?

By giving us identity.

Not a digital identity card like Starmer once.

But a true identity.

A calling.

Unique.

To everyone.

So what does freedom from comparison and covetousness look like?

Peace when others rise.

Joy when others succeed.

Confidence in the talents and the embrace God has given each one of us.

But some of us today are going to say,

"Is God enough for me?"

He's never given me what others have.

Yes, in Psalm 73:

26, it says,

"My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion."

Forever and.

Forever that means when life is getting hard,

remember,

God is my strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Remember that if there's anything that you remember today,

even when my flesh and my heart may fail,

my God is my strength of my heart and my portion.

So what this means for our church and ministry today are healthy church rejects comparison.

Comparison and chooses celebration.

Comparing church competes celebrating church grows.

Comparison breeds jealousy, insecurity,

and division. However,

in Psalms 133,

how good and pleasant is it when God's people live together in unity?

A comparison-free church becomes a safe place where imperfect people can expand. Like a soufflé.

Ministry must flow from calling.

Not competition.

Saul ministered from insecurity at the end of his life.

David ministered from identity.

God didn't call our church to be another church.

He called it to be faithful.

Hebrews 12:1, I've already said this today.

Run the race marked out for you.

Ministry thrives when we serve from who God called us to be not who we compare ourselves to be.

Comparison distracts the church from its mission.

Saul stopped fighting the Philistines and started fighting David.

That's like fighting the internal when.

Church compared,

they stopped fighting darkness and started fighting each other.

To feel, "Man, it brings to snare."

But this is one thing as a church we have to realize.

Comparison-free churches releases people into their calling.

Leaders find this extremely hard.

Sometimes we have to let go.

In order to allow other people to grow.

Who knows.

As a church, this is a unique church.

And I'm not saying we don't take a good ideas from our churches.

But the church down the road is never going to be this congregation.

And just because the church down the road has 2 million people go to it,

it doesn't mean the teaching's great.

We go and we worship where God's at.

And we are a family today.

The Bible says we should test the Spirit.

We should test with the Word of God.

I'm not saying we can't compare to what the Word of God.

But what I am saying is we need to stop comparing today.

Don't be a Saul,

be a David.

Saul didn't lose the kingdom because of David was great.

Saul lost the kingdom because of comparison made him small.

David didn't become king because he coveted Saul's throne.

He became king because he trusted God's timing.

David was anointed king.

But.

It took years.

And years and years before he ever ruled as king.

So the encouragement today is if you want to give up, don't.

God is with us.

So comparison is the seed covetousness in this text is the root. Jealousy is the fruit.

Destruction is the harvest. But Jesus offices a new way.

Secure.

Identity rooted in calling anchored in grace.

You don't need someone else's portion today.

You need God's presence.

So today,

if you are struggling comparing yourself,

let's shut our eyes and give it to God.

Because we all need to give things over to God.

Father, today we come to you.

We ask you to increase our awareness of your working in our life.

Father, in the name of Jesus,

if there is comparison in our heart,

break it. Break.

It with your grace,

Father,

with your direction,

with your embrace, Lord. Father,

we come today with.

We pray you can encounter us, Lord.

Pray for healing over this church today,

over my life, and all of our lives, Lord.

Let.

Us stop comparing and may we start living in who you have us to be,

Lord.

But identity the talents Father, I pray for unity today. In this church,

pray against any seeds of comparison, Lord.

Father,

may we all speak.

To you shake off things of pulling us away from love, Lord. Shake them off, Lord.

And we desire to see your kingdom grow, Lord. Through your provision,

may your trust be the call.

The Word be.

Where we place our feet.

As.

A church today, may we grow together.

Amen.

Apple Podcasts   

Compare and Despair

Cameron Mathers
18th May, 2026 1:01 pm

Slow to anger

Omdachi Oganyi
11th May, 2026 1:44 pm

Don't let sin master you

Andy Moyle
3rd May, 2026 3:22 pm

There's a serpent in the garden

David Taylor
19th Apr, 2026 12:00 pm

Sent by the Risen King

Cameron Mathers
13th Apr, 2026 7:31 pm
Next

Favour is a fickle thing in the world.
In the Lion the witch and the wardrobe, there is a scene where Edmund is betraying his family. He is a King of Narnia, but doesn’t know it. The evil Queen has offered him the chance to be a prince, if he brings the rest of the family to her. She wants to kill them all. So it’s a great picture of the devil’s schemes.
Edmund makes it to the Queen’s castle and is met by Maugrim the chief of the secret police who says “Greetings favoured one of the Queen or not”

Favour in the world is a fickle thing – if you work hard enough for long enough some people will like you some of the time!
Politicians go in and out of favour all the time. The words “He has my complete support” is a kiss of death and the Minister will be sacked within days.

Divine favour is completely different.
It is totally undeserved and unmerited and is therefore not based on our performance at all.
It’s God’s “I’m for you” attitude. Did you know God is for you… God’s for me – say it! Some of you might be feeling like Edmund right now. You are wondering whether you are favoured or not. Don’t listen to Maugrim, the enemy. Listen to God and what He is saying.
Favour is the guarantee of His presence, the promise of His power, to accomplish His special purpose in and through your life.

When the mankind was still pretty new and their every inclination of the heart was evil. Gen 6:8 tells us “But Noah found favour with the Lord.”
Joseph was a young man who went through decades of suffering and trials. Genesis 39:21 tells us “But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” Moses was called by God to bring the people of Israel out of slavery and prayed back to God at one of the tough moments “Yet you have said, “I know you by name and you have also found favour in my sight.” The later Samuel, we are told in 1 Sam 2:26, “Now the young man continued to grow both in stature and in favour with the Lord and also with man.” David Acts 7:46 tells “found favour in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob”.
Ruth found favour in Boaz’s field and ended up going from poverty to supply, widowhood to marriage, childless to having a family and being part of the genealogy of Jesus

So there’s a ton of divine favour under the Old Covenant – how much more is there going to be under the New covenant?!
Divine favour is your portion! Say it Divine favour is my portion.

So the angel of the Lord appears to Mary and says “Greeting O favoured on, the Lord is with you!”
She had no idea what that meant, so the angel says again “Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favour with God.”
She was so favoured! The mother of Jesus!
She had no idea what was happening. Didn’t really understand – but she is willing to yield to God’s power.
Interesting – ignorance asks for understanding, unbelief ask for proof.

So Jesus – God in the flesh is born. God and Man in perfect union. Born in the most humblest of circumstances as a boy. When he was twelve He was taken to temple for the Passover and left behind! In Luk 2:52 it tells us this “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man”

I can understand how Jesus would need to grow in favour with man – but God? But if Jesus needed to grow in favour with God, then boy do I! Amen?

Favour is the grace of God – the greek word for both is the same. So it’s totally an undeserved gift. But just like grace it has measures and we can grow in the measure of favour as we can grow in grace.

God loves everybody the same. He loves… just as much as he loves me.

Grace is available to all who want it. Grace and favour start with ACCESS
We have free unblockable, unmerited access to the favour all ways! The sin barrier is permanently dealt with and we can always approach the throne of heaven with boldness and confidence.

Grace and favour are also about power – power to do the things that God wants us to do. Spiritual gifts are actually grace gifts. Grace given to do us to serve God. Favour is the same.

Eph4:7 tells us the risen Christ gives grace to every one as he apportions it.

So all believers have the same divine favour for access – are you enjoying it.
But there are portions of favour, of grace to serve God and they can grow. Jesus needs to grow in favour, boy do we!

Who wants to grow in the favour of God?
Who wants more of His presence?
Who wants more of His power?
Who wants to bear more fruit?

Jesus started with less favour on earth than he ended with. Its an issue of stewardship like so many things. Proper use of favour gets us more. When we steward well, you get more – and there are so many things people have favour for –
Money – some of you have favour for making money and using it for kingdom purposes.
Wisdom – some of you have such favour with wisdom in your work place and in the church environment
People – some of you are just people people. People want to be with you and God has given you such favour to influence people in your life group, in the market and in work.
Miracles – some of you are growing in favour for miracles. I want to hear stories – Here’s a Bill Johnson quote “when we don’t give testimony, we rob God of the glory”

3 things about God’s favour
1) Favour is God affection for you to encourage you.
He loves you, so He chooses to you to be favoured. You didn’t earn it, so don’t get puffed up!
Sometimes God will test you with praise! Some of you can cope with it at all and some you get puffed up and think your gift is who you are. Both are wrong!
Don’t let God’s favour on you become your identity. It’s just how He uses you.

2) Favour is intended to draw us deeper in relationship
Remember how I said grace and favour are about ACCESS and POWER. God gives you grace and favour because He loves you and wants relationship with you.

Matthew 7:21-23 is an interesting passage – clearly there will be people who have had a revelation of the goodness of God and grabbed hold of His word about grace and favour and will be doing stuff and God uses them. God honour His word about healing in the name of Jesus. BUT they don’t know Him. They didn’t enjoy and pursue more Access, just the power.

He wants you, He wants to know you more. Favour is so we can know Him and enjoy Him more. Paul prays for the Ephesian church in his letter that the may have a spirit of wisdom and revelation to know Him, to be enlightened, to know the hope and riches and the immeasurable greatness of His power.

3) Give it away – the kingdom principle is to give away to get more!
Whatever favour God gives you, give it away! God will give you more. You cannot outgive God!
Eph 4:29 is an interesting scripture “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, bit only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion that it may give grace to those who hear.” – use your words to give grace to others!

So favour is God’s “I’m for you attitude” – it’s a completely undeserved gift, but you can grow in it too! Get your head around that!

Here’s some practical hows for enjoying more of God’s favour
1) You have access to the father – enjoy it! Switch of the goggly box, shut down facebook and enjoy His presence a bit more.
2) Receive God’s favour – it’s a free gift, so receive it and ask for more.
3) Use it to bless others – the measure you have now will increase if you put it to use – just like the parable of the talents.
4) Give generously Prov 18:6 A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before the great. As you are generouse with God’s favour – money, time, wisdom, friendliness, spiritual gifts – God gives you space for more to be used.
5) Keep company with the favoured – Psalm 1 challenges us to not hang around with those who lead us astray. Joyce Meyer says “If you associate with a person who is visionary, you will soon get a vision. But if you stay around lifeless people who want to do nothing but complain, sit on the couch, eat donuts, and watch soap operas, then soon you will be doing the same things.”
6) Prayer and fasting – Nehemiah prayed and fasted before going before the King and found favour. Jesus said of one particular deliverance – this type comes out by prayer and fasting. As we pray and fast, we cultivate more Access to the Father and he gives us more Power.
7) Forgive others – we talked about unforgiveness the other week – nothing kills favour off faster than being unforgiving, even bitter.
8) Stop grumbling. Some of you moan too much. About silly stuff. A whole generation of Israel missed the promised land because they grumble. They missed the full measure of the favour of God because of moaning. I’m believing that God is drawing us to the promised land – the wave of the Spirit, that will bring revival to this region. Don’t miss by grumbling about stupid stuff.
9) Thankfulness sets your attitude. Stop moaning and Be thankful. God loves to give more to people who are thankful for what they have. He will withold when you moan. so stop it!

Compare and Despair

The danger of comparison and how it destroys healthy relationships
Speaker: Cameron Mathers
Series: Hall of Mirrors
Date: 18th May, 2026
Download: Compare and Despair
Plays: 1
Views: 5
Sermon notes: 

PDF

Compare and Despair

If we can all turn into our Bibles once Samuel 18:6 to 16.

Familiar passage.

About Saul and David.

When I was  preparing for this sermon, it made me think about sort of growing up. I've got three older sisters. Three sisters who growing up were highly intelligent. They excelled. They got their A's. They got their A stars. They did their homework. They achieved. And then there was me.

I, for years of my early years of school, struggled to spell, struggled to read. Struggled to do many things I look at my both my sons struggle with. That was me. So I remember this one period. I had some exams coming up. And I had failed most of my exams.

 

And I remember achieving a C for this paper. And Dad's like,

"That's wonderful." And my sister turns around and she says,

"You've grounded me when I got a C." And he said,

"That's because of you could have done better."

However, today, I've been titled the sermon Stop Comparing.

How Saul lost himself and how Christ can serve us free.

So 1 Samuel 18:6-6, it says,

"As they were coming home,

when David returned,

from striking down the Philistine,

the women came out of all the cities of Israel,

singing and dancing to meet King Saul.

With tambourines, with songs of joy,

with music of instruments,

and the women sang to another,

and they celebrated Saul has struck down his thousands.

And David,

his tens of thousands.

And Saul was very angry.

And this saying,

'Displeased him.' He said,

'They've ascribed to David tens of thousands. And to me,

they've ascribed thousands.

' And what more can he have but the kingdom?

" And Saul kept an eye on David from that day on.

So set in the scene with context,

to understand the weight of this.

We have to understand that this very scene is about two lives colliding,

like two cars coming together.

And as we go through this,

it exposes the danger of comparison.

It exposes the danger of comparison.

To set the scene, Saul,

the man,

had everything.

First, King of Israel.

The Bible says he was tall. Impressive.

Physically imposing.

Chosen by God.

Anointed by Samuel.

He started humble.

One battles.

United tribes.

And carried authority.

Yet.

As we read about Saul,

we see internal struggles.

The fear of people.

Impatience.

Disobedience.

Insecurity.

Saul's downfall began before David ever arrived.

David simply exposed what was already going on inside.

Today,

there are things going on in each one of our lives.

David.

The man who had nothing,

but God, at this time.

The polar.

David started with humble beginnings.

The youngest of eight.

A shepherd.

He was even overlooked by his father.

So if you overlook your son today,

he could be the next David.

So stop.

He was anointed in secret. A worshipper.

A warrior. When no one was looking,

he was killing lions and bears with his own hands.

Has anyone else done that?

That's pretty cool.

Before killing Goliath in public,

David didn't seek the throne.

The throne sought after him.

Because he had a portion that God had given him.

The same as today,

every one of you here today has a portion and inheritance allotted by God for his purposes.

So  Their lives collide.

David rises.

So David kills Goliath. Israel explodes with joy.

Saul brings David into the palace.

David becomes a commander.

David succeeds in everything he does.

But let's look at Saul's reaction.

Saul notices.

Saul threatens.

Saul begins to what? Compare.

So this is a crazy place.

Because Saul himself is the king with everything.

But because his insecurity led him to comparison,

he.

His eyes off of the blessings and the provision God had given.

And put them on someone else's inheritance.

That was never going to be his.

It's a bit like me wanting Roy's skill on the drum.

I can aspire for it.

But I'm never going to be there because I'm terrible with my rhythm.

But I could attempt to.

But that's the trouble, though.

Saul didn't want David to succeed.

We see this. Twice.

Not just once. Twice in Samuel.

He throws a spear at him.

A bit like when you don't do the washing up and the wife chucks plates at you. No.

Tries to trap David in a marriage.

Sends assassins to his house.

Hunts him in the wilderness.

But you know,

the interesting part here before we get on to our point,

David actually doesn't retaliate.

He doesn't retaliate.

David didn't compare at that time.

At that time,

David never covets after Saul's destiny.

But the one thing we need to remember today is who did David put his trust in?

God. Today,

are you putting your trust in God?

Are you putting your trust in you trying to achieve the destiny you feel you have for yourself?

We'll go through this.

So who do you become when God blesses someone else?

What rises in you when someone else is praised more than you?

Is your identity anchored in Christ?

Or is it shaken by looking at others?

Or are you here today?

Does God still see me when others seem more blessed?

Yes. He sees you.

He says,

"Be still and know I'm God."

But why does God allow others to rise when I struggle?

Because God's time?

Is different for everyone.

If I look at the story of what I opened up with my sisters, you know,

I've done awful in school up until my GCSEs.

And I had some amazing people around me.

Some amazing tutors.

And I achieved some really good grades.

So I went from failing to succeeding.

With only a few changes.

But the blessing?

Does God have a plan for me? Or am I actually just pine?

In Jeremiah, it says, "You'll be prepared."

You have a plan. There is a hope.

There is an allotment. And portion.

For you and you and you and you and you.

All of us. So if you struggle today,we're preparing.

Trust God has a future for you.

So comparison is not harmless. Comparison is a seed.

And in 1 Samuel 18, which we read, we watch that seed grow into tragedy.

So if you're feeling like Saul today, I will pray for you.

Like.

My story,

I compared to my sisters.

I struggled.

But the internal impact it had is for so long,

I felt behind. For so long,

I felt less than.

Felt not enough of.

The expectation of being a pastor's son,

growing up,

was there was an expectation put on my shoulders.

Whether there was or whether there wasn't,

I felt there was.

I felt like I had to I was expected to achieve I had to be the spiritual one. But inside,

I was.

Hearing the comparison.

You're not enough.

You're not like them. You're not messing up. Or you're not measuring up.

Who am I without comparison?

God says,

"You are God's workmanship."

Which means we are workers. For God's glory.

And.

That's the interesting dynamic of comparison.

We start with, "What God wants?"

Or we start with,

"What we want?"

And sometimes they had a polar opposite.

And sometimes We need horses to have blinkers.

Sometimes we need spiritual blinkers to draw us in.

I'm looking at the phone.

I'm drawing I'm looking in the mirror.

But this is to draw us spiritually in. Because who knows life is hard.

And it doesn't.

Stop.

And comparison can lead to many things. So we get to finally point one.

Comparison begins small.

So the women's son sort of.

Sang Saul had struck down thousands and David his tens of thousands.

A victory song.

Not a comparison. Yet.

Saul heard comparison where none was intended.

Have you ever heard something that wasn't actually said?

It's a bit like I had a friend. I could turn around and say,

"Oh, Katie looks very nice today."

And he would always turn around and probably say, "What are you saying?

I don't look nice?" Well, that's not what I'm saying here. You missed the point.

Have you ever taken someone's praise as criticism?

Three truths from the text so far we can see about just that small comparison.

Comparison begins with misinterpretation.

This is a victory song.

This is they were commending David.

It was never about Saul.

So maybe which I have to tell myself many times is remove myself from the situation.

Because if Saul had done that,

he would have realized they were declaring the fact there was victory for the kingdom.

Comparison grows in insecure soil.

When.

We have insecurities, that we allow to manifest,

which we all have insecurities,

it can take us onto a path of comparison.

This.

Is something that I struggle with. Struggled with. Comparison distorts identity.

And growing up in the dynamic of the family I did was one of great blessings.

Having been brought up in church.

Having gone through everything. Actually,

I look back and I realized that's a blessing.

But as my dad would always say,

"Son,

I can't live your life for you.

Son.

I can't live your life for you."

And actually,

it's true. We all have a destiny.

We all have a portion.

We all have an inheritance.

So stop assuming comparison.

Stop reading rejection into someone else's celebration.

Stop letting other people's success shrink who you are.

How do I rebuild identity after years of insecurity? Romans 12:2,

renew your mind.

It's not a once occurrence. It is a daily, daily thing.

How do I stop competing with people I love?

Hebrews 12:1 says,

"Run your race.

" Run your race.

Not Janet's race.

Janet can run.

Janet's race a lot better than Cameron can.

But you all need to run your race.

Point two.

Comparison can grow a deep 1 Samuel 18:8-11.

And Saul was very angry.

And this saying, displeased him, he said,

"Pay the scribe to David tens thousand or tens of thousands and to me by the scribe thousands."

And what more can he have but the kingdom?

And Saul kept an eye on David from that day.

The next day, a half of spirit.

Rushed upon Saul and he raved within his house.

So he sent so David was playing the liar as he did day in,

day Saul had his spear in his hand and Saul held the spear for he fought.

I'll pin David to the wall.

But David evaded him twice.

Comparison grows deep.

So what this comparison has actually led to is consciousness.

Consciousness is not wanting what someone has but believing you deserve what God gave them.

Comparison is cemented as desire twisted by resentment.

Admiration posed by entitlement,

jealousy,

matures into bitterness.

So Paul says it this way.

Covetousness leads to temptation.

Traps spiritually ruined.

But Paul compares it.

He compares it to idolatry.

Putting a god above our god.

Jesus himself,

we can see this in the parable of the rich fool.

He says,

"A man who had everything but what did he want?

More and more and more and more riches."

But he was poor inside.

So today you might have little physically, but spiritually you might be the richest person here.

Free truths from that this part of text.

Comparison becomes insecurity.

Insecurity becomes covetousness.

And covetousness becomes hostility.

So.

We have to be very careful how much we want other things.

So God has given us desire.

And emotion.

God has given us ambition.

There is nothing wrong with ambition as long as you know it is from God and for his blessing. Not our own.

If you know that God blesses and you're not the blesser,

you.

Stop.

Wanting someone else's story.

I had a good,

good friend and I still have a good, good friend.

Again,

his brother was an amazing singer.

His other brother was also an amazing singer.

Fricking now is in the military, succeeding at his identity.

However,

the trouble is he started to try to live his brother's identity issue is it's terrible at singing.

It's terrible at dancing.

And actually, it led him down to trying to commit suicide.

It wasn't until he realized that those.

Things weren't for him.

So how do I stop comparing my life as falling apart with anchor? Who knows what an anchor is?

What.

Do we anchor in? God's presence.

How.

Do I celebrate others when I'm hurting?

Remember,

their blessing is not your loss.

Let's celebrate with one another today as a church.

How do I avoid covetousness when I genuinely need what others have?

And this is one of the hardest things.

Trust God's provision.

You can say to me,

"Cameron,

you don't understand." Of course I don't understand.

I'm not in your shoes.

I can help. I can pray.

We can trust together.

This church is bound by individuals with different talents.

It's a diverse group of people coming together to glorify God.

And actually,

I'm really glad Jen got up to front to encourage people to go to the diversity thing and inclusion on Friday.

Because every one of us has a place here. In God's kingdom.

Every one of us.

So what about when life gets hard?

When comparison hits hardest?

Where it's unemployment, underpayment,

bills piling up, watching others get promoted,

let's.

Anchor three things. God sees you.

Sees you when no one else sees you.

God.

Will provide what you need.

But.

Interesting here with the kingdom of God, God uses lack to prepare you.

Why.

Does God allow me to struggle while others succeed?

Because God forms you in caves and not palaces.

God forms you from clay.

Whose ever used clay to form anything?

I'm terrible.

I was terrible at art. But it takes time.

It takes a moulding.

And some would say the refiner's fire.

So point three. You know what?

Glory to God.

Christ breaks comparison.

So in 12 to 16,

Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him.

But had departed from Saul.

So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of 1,000.

He went out and came in before the people.

And David had success in all his undertakings.

But the Lord was with him.

And when Saul saw that he had great success,

he stood in fearful awe of him.

But all Israel and Judah loved David for he went out and came in,

performed the Lord was with David.

The same as the Lord is with us today.

Three truths from this text.

Christ restores identity.

Christ affirms calling.

And Christ provides contentment.

It was not until I realized that I could not live my dad's journey.

I could not live my sister's journey.

I could not live anyone's journey.

But I then found myself in a place that actually I found myself in a place that comparison wasn't breaking me.

And I believe every one of us at times in our life compare.

What I'm challenging you today is don't allow that comparison to take you down a path.

But the same is the same as Saul.

Because each one of you has great blessings in your life.

And I want you to see that today.

I want you to see that today.

Walking confidently in a God-given lane.

As a church,

let's celebrate others because the God has a plan for all of us.

Rest in the truth that God's portion is for you and not for someone else.

So how does Jesus practically break comparison?

By giving us identity.

Not a digital identity card like Starmer once.

But a true identity.

A calling.

Unique.

To everyone.

So what does freedom from comparison and covetousness look like?

Peace when others rise.

Joy when others succeed.

Confidence in the talents and the embrace God has given each one of us.

But some of us today are going to say,

"Is God enough for me?"

He's never given me what others have.

Yes, in Psalm 73:

26, it says,

"My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion."

Forever and.

Forever that means when life is getting hard,

remember,

God is my strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Remember that if there's anything that you remember today,

even when my flesh and my heart may fail,

my God is my strength of my heart and my portion.

So what this means for our church and ministry today are healthy church rejects comparison.

Comparison and chooses celebration.

Comparing church competes celebrating church grows.

Comparison breeds jealousy, insecurity,

and division. However,

in Psalms 133,

how good and pleasant is it when God's people live together in unity?

A comparison-free church becomes a safe place where imperfect people can expand. Like a soufflé.

Ministry must flow from calling.

Not competition.

Saul ministered from insecurity at the end of his life.

David ministered from identity.

God didn't call our church to be another church.

He called it to be faithful.

Hebrews 12:1, I've already said this today.

Run the race marked out for you.

Ministry thrives when we serve from who God called us to be not who we compare ourselves to be.

Comparison distracts the church from its mission.

Saul stopped fighting the Philistines and started fighting David.

That's like fighting the internal when.

Church compared,

they stopped fighting darkness and started fighting each other.

To feel, "Man, it brings to snare."

But this is one thing as a church we have to realize.

Comparison-free churches releases people into their calling.

Leaders find this extremely hard.

Sometimes we have to let go.

In order to allow other people to grow.

Who knows.

As a church, this is a unique church.

And I'm not saying we don't take a good ideas from our churches.

But the church down the road is never going to be this congregation.

And just because the church down the road has 2 million people go to it,

it doesn't mean the teaching's great.

We go and we worship where God's at.

And we are a family today.

The Bible says we should test the Spirit.

We should test with the Word of God.

I'm not saying we can't compare to what the Word of God.

But what I am saying is we need to stop comparing today.

Don't be a Saul,

be a David.

Saul didn't lose the kingdom because of David was great.

Saul lost the kingdom because of comparison made him small.

David didn't become king because he coveted Saul's throne.

He became king because he trusted God's timing.

David was anointed king.

But.

It took years.

And years and years before he ever ruled as king.

So the encouragement today is if you want to give up, don't.

God is with us.

So comparison is the seed covetousness in this text is the root. Jealousy is the fruit.

Destruction is the harvest. But Jesus offices a new way.

Secure.

Identity rooted in calling anchored in grace.

You don't need someone else's portion today.

You need God's presence.

So today,

if you are struggling comparing yourself,

let's shut our eyes and give it to God.

Because we all need to give things over to God.

Father, today we come to you.

We ask you to increase our awareness of your working in our life.

Father, in the name of Jesus,

if there is comparison in our heart,

break it. Break.

It with your grace,

Father,

with your direction,

with your embrace, Lord. Father,

we come today with.

We pray you can encounter us, Lord.

Pray for healing over this church today,

over my life, and all of our lives, Lord.

Let.

Us stop comparing and may we start living in who you have us to be,

Lord.

But identity the talents Father, I pray for unity today. In this church,

pray against any seeds of comparison, Lord.

Father,

may we all speak.

To you shake off things of pulling us away from love, Lord. Shake them off, Lord.

And we desire to see your kingdom grow, Lord. Through your provision,

may your trust be the call.

The Word be.

Where we place our feet.

As.

A church today, may we grow together.

Amen.

Apple Podcasts   

Compare and Despair

Cameron Mathers
18th May, 2026 1:01 pm

Slow to anger

Omdachi Oganyi
11th May, 2026 1:44 pm

Don't let sin master you

Andy Moyle
3rd May, 2026 3:22 pm

There's a serpent in the garden

David Taylor
19th Apr, 2026 12:00 pm

Sent by the Risen King

Cameron Mathers
13th Apr, 2026 7:31 pm
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR - ANDY MOYLE

Andy planted the Gateway Church in Sept 2007. He and Janet love to gather different nations together to grow in Christ while eating good food! He also helps to shape and serve a couple of Relational Mission's church plants in mainland Europe. Andy and Janet run regularly, largely to offset the hospitality eating! He also runs a popular WordPress plugin Church Admin