We have probably heard this verse before, yet it does not stop here. We still compare the "beautiful" things others have in them that we don’t. And deep inside us, we know we want to change the same thing about ourselves.

I remember reading an article where the writer said something that basically changed my life. He said he never met a woman who is completely happy with herself. I read the line again and then it hit me, neither had I. "So, you’re imperfect? Join the crowd".

Everyone whom I think is somewhat perfect sees all their own flaws and thinks someone else is perfect. I have never met someone who is totally happy with himself/ herself without wanting to change anything. When we are asked what is it that we wish to change about ourselves, and if ever that wish comes true, are we sure we are finally going to be happy with ourselves, or a time will come again and we will decide that there’s another aspect of us that needs to be changed? Call it stupid. Call it obsessive. Nonetheless, it is a part of our everyday existence.

So here’s the deal: Why do we all try to look like another person when God obviously made us different from each other? Won’t that go against the concept of our awesome Creator to make all of us unique and original? We’ll appear as a bunch of Xerox copies and fakes rather than the splendid, one-of-a-kind originals we are meant to be. Remember we are never created to please everyone else. So the question is: What are we doing to the person inside of us that will attract the man/woman who won’t settle for superficial beauty? Since there is only one of us in this entire world, we may as well concentrate on being ourselves and stop trying to be someone else. Whenever we reduce our standards to that of man's, and compare ourselves to others, we will always come up short.

God made us with a very specific plan in His mind. He wants us to have a heart like His, and He created us after His own image. We honor God most when we learn to appreciate and grow in love for the unique individual He made us to be. He has His journey mapped out for us - a plan of changing us into beings that are perfect and beautiful altogether in the inside - and each of us has a different path to walk on.

Don't get me wrong though. I'm not saying we should never look to others for inspiration, advice, or to be our role models. Comparison can be good and healthy, and it can also be as bad as letting us feel down and less significant. The real problem is WHAT we compare TO WHOM. If we can help build each other up and inspire those around us, pretty soon we’ll be pointing at each other and saying, "You made me a better person."