There are a million memes that pop up in my social media feeds every day.

Every. Single. Day.

But every so often, one pops up that knocks my socks off, and yesterday delivered such a powerhouse.

It’s something, isn’t it? The thing is, it’s a very obvious thought, full of common sense, but really we don’t get it most of the time. We stand on our side of the fence, grass withering into a sad, late-Texas-summer brown, while we lean on the fence, gazing at our neighbor’s lush carpet of green, wondering how they got so lucky to have such a great lawn.

They must make enough money to hire a service.

They probably inherited that house, and it’s prime piece of ground, from a rich uncle.

They can likely afford grass from the best sod farm because of that great job that was probably handed to them on a silver platter.

But you want to know the truth?

Their garage has bags of fertilizer and weed killer, next to the push mower and weed eater.

They worked hard to put money away in savings until they had enough to put in a good sprinkler system.

And while we’re in watching TV after work, they’re outside, when it’s not so hot, caring for their own lawn. Spot treating trouble areas, so they don’t take over, and meticulously caring for the lot they paid hard-earned money for when they bought that house.

Comparison is a crippling disease. It keeps people from moving forward, and traps them into debilitating pity parties of epic proportion, as they gaze into other peoples’ lives that look “perfect” while their own withers around them. When will we ever learn that no one’s life is perfect? NO ONE. The people who look that way are the ones who are working on their lives, cultivating their dreams, and pouring time and effort and love into their relationships.

They are ones who are watering their grass.

I say it’s high time we go ask the neighbor if we can borrow some of their fertilizer and weed killer, and maybe their old manual sprinkler, and GET TO WORK.

By the looks of our grass, there’s not a moment to waste.

“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.” Galatians 6:4-5 MSG

“Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” 2 Corinthians 10:12 ESV