Keep Your Eyes On Your Own Paper

It can be so easy to compare ourselves to others, to be envious of another, and to try and emulate what someone else is doing. As social media advances, it’s harder to avoid these negative traits.

I love watching interviews and learning about people’s lives. In listening to an interview, actress Laura Dern, said the best advice that she ever received was “keep your eyes on your own paper.”

That’s a profound piece of advice. When it comes to looking at someone else’s paper in a classroom example that’s called cheating. And, when we begin to compare ourselves to others that's called envy, and that’s sinning.

Do you recall in John chapter 21, when Jesus was eating fish with his disciples and Peter wanted to know who would betray Jesus, and would that person who would betray Him die? Peter was looking at his fellow disciples' paper and not his own. And Jesus had to tell Peter to keep His eye on His own paper, and that his [Peter's] focus should only be on Christ. In verse 22, Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”  

Because the world is worldly, trying to get people to look on other people’s papers, Christians have to strive to not conform to comparing themselves to others. We as Christians have been called to walk closely with God, soaking in His presence and living in His peace. God has called everyone to unique paths, distinctly designed for each individual. We have been called to look at our own papers.

One way we can keep our eyes on our own paper is to strive to continuously be aware of the presence of God. And, to also be in His Word. If we stay in Scripture then we know who we are in Christ as individuals, and it will be easier to keep our eyes on our own paper. It won’t matter if it seems someone is excelling and we aren’t. God requires very little of us, only to trust Him, love Him first, to love our neighbor as ourselves, to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Him.

The only people we are in charge of is ourselves. If we resolve to look at our own papers, to look at our own lives and not compare ourselves to others; and to not be concerned with how others are living their lives, then we won’t have any reason to look at someone else’s paper.