"Your mechandise is good"

  A few weeks or so I was reading some article on the Internet about Facebook. This article wasn't about the founders or the IPO or about privacy concerns. This article mentioned that people who were on Facebook a lot reported less satisfaction with their lives than those who spent less or no time on it. The reason for this is that people look at the postings of friends, friends of friends and family. These posts often show good things that happen or new things that are acquired. It is easy to look at some of this and feel like your life is dull and uninteresting. That you may be falling behind the Joneses and anyone else out there. I can see where it can cause depression and discontentment. People tend not to post bad news, so it can give a false impression.
  I think Bishop Campbell might have read something similar. The third hour meeting at church last Sunday was a sort of Mother's Day social gathering as opposed to the usual lesson. Bishop Campbell came to say a few words (and maybe have a little something to eat).
  He talked about how we compare ourselves to others. It's pretty easy to do. There's always going to be someone out there with a larger house, newer furniture who wears designer clothes in a size two. (These are my words not the Bishop's.) He pointed to the table laden with the breakfast treats we were enjoying. He said that some of us may look at that food and think that we could never cook like that. Don't compare yourself, most of that food was bought anyway. There were a few chuckles in the room. He looked around at all the women he was addressing. He continued. The next time you start comparing yourself to someone else, Stop It. Stop It. (This was from a talk given by LDS President Dieter Uchtdorf.) Do not compare yourself to anyone else.
  Then he pulled out his Bible and started to read from the book of Proverbs. He started at chapter 31 verse ten and read until he got to verse 18. Verse 18 begins, "She perceiveth her merchandise is good". He looked around the room again. "What does this mean to you?" he asked. A few of the women answered. I don't remember what they said.
   To him, this verse means that she has confidence. I may be misquoting him here, but I think he said that she knows her worth and takes a back seat to no one. To me he seemed to be saying to group that we were priceless and what we do is very important, even if it may go unnoticed at times.
   This applies to all of us. We should not compare ourselves to others. It's a time wasting exercise. When you get the urge to look at what you don't have and what you can't do, Stop It. Take a look at what you can do and what you can work on. It's a much better use of time.
   We all have "merchandise". Some of it is material goods and some of it is the talents and abilities we have. We all have different things. Don't spend your time looking around at what others have. Look at what you have and use it. As Bishop Campbell said, "Your merchandise is good."