Go deeper with others.

We’re in the 3rd week of a series that started with a simple idea: seeking a better way than “better than.” Each week we’ve looked at a practice to help us overcome our natural propensity toward unhealthy comparison and competition with others. This week, we go “all the way back” to try to understand where this temptation came from – and how Jesus himself was able to overcome it.

As we continue exploring The GOAT Problem, this week’s focus turns to the anxiety that comparison creates. When our sense of worth becomes tied to how we measure up against others, anxiety takes root. Scripture reveals that comparison doesn’t just distort how we see others—it reshapes how we see ourselves, God, and our own value. How can we avoid the anxiety of comparison?

The idea of being the “GOAT”—the Greatest Of All Time—captures something deep in us. Competition, comparison, and striving to be “better than” others often feel like the best way to success. Yet throughout Scripture the story of “better than” shows how striving can seize our hearts and lead to disappointment, despair, and even destruction. Perhaps, then, there is a better way than “better than.”