Bible Passage: Laborers in the Vineyard – Matthew 20:1-16 ESV
Get your Freebie: The Live Like It’s True Workbook
Mentioned Resources:
- The Envy of Eve by Melissa Krueger
- The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis
- Comparison Girl by Shannon Popkin
- Comparison Girl for Teens: Thriving Beyond Measure in a World That Compares by Lee Nienhuis and Shannon Popkin
Melissa Kruger
Melissa Kruger serves as vice president of discipleship programming for The Gospel Coalition (TGC). She’s the author of multiple books, including The Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World, Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood, Growing Together: Taking Mentoring Beyond Small Talk and Prayer Request, and Wherever You Go I Want You to Know. Her husband, Mike, is the president of Reformed Theological Seminary and they have three children.
Connect with Melissa:
If We’ve Been Given a Million Dollars, Why Complain about the Pennies?
In this episode, Melissa helps us see the value of what we’ve already been given in Christ, and the pettiness of the earthly things we try to compare with others, in an analogy about millions and pennies. She says:
If I told you today I’m going to give you a million dollars because we did this podcast and then I’m going to say well I’m doing a podcast with somebody else tomorrow and I’m going to give them a million dollars and one penny. I don’t think you’d be bothered. It’s like, that’s totally fine! But we live on the pennies, bothered by what others get, when we’ve been given eternity. And it’s like we’ve actually lost sight of the million, because we fight over the pennies constantly.
Let’s live like this story is true and rejoice in this great gift we’ve been given in Christ. It truly is the most valuable thing we could ever claim as our own.
Comparison Girl for Teens
As you listen to these episodes on comparison, we hope you’ll consider both my Bible study for women, titled, Comparison Girl: Lessons From Jesus on Me-Free Living in a Measure-Up World, and also my new co-authored book, Comparison Girl for Teens: Thriving beyond Measure in a World that Compares. Both books have a chapter on comparing sin. Teens (and those who love them!) can take our “Good Guy / Bad Guy” quiz on comparing sin at ComparisonGirl.com.
Teen girls have more opportunity and pressure to compare than ever before, and this generation of girls is desperate for truth about themselves and God. Behind the deep sadness and thick bondage caused by comparison is a persistent enemy peddling comparison lies. He knows that whether a girl drives herself to exhaustion trying to prove she measures up, or she retreats to the shadows—convinced she never will, comparison holds her hostage. But Jesus’s gospel mindset sets her free.
Join Shannon Popkin and Lee Nienhuis as they explore the new face of the comparison game for today’s teen girl, and Jesus’s healthier, happier way of living me-free. Filled with quizzes and stories to help her engage, this book helps your teen find new freedom, confidence and true influence in the middle of a world that compares.
Purchase on Amazon / Christian Book / My Shop
Take the Quizzes:
There are eight quizzes – one per chapter! We hope these will be fun for teens and moms or youth leaders and will serve as great question starters. Before you begin, you’ll be asked your age bracket (parents and youth leaders are welcome!). Then after you take the quiz, you can compare your score with others’. However, each quiz is private! You’ll only see how people responded, not who responded what way.
Take the Quizzes HERE!
Here’s the First Quiz!
Learn More HERE.
- Chapter 1—Welcome to the World of Measuring Up
- Chapter 2—Comparing Sin
- Chapter 3—Comparing Beauty
- Chapter 4—Comparing Femininity
- Chapter 5—Comparing Popularity
- Chapter 6—Comparing Possessions
- Chapter 7—Comparing Talents
- Chapter 8—Comparing Relationships
