You know you've been at this parenting thing a while when your children are old enough to compare notes about how you've raised them.

Lisa and Julie take this sport to new heights as they match quips about the differences in how we've treated them with such things as driving the car and how late they can stay out. Of course Lisa, who is older, remembers that we were much, much harder on her. Naturally Julie disagrees.

We handle each of our children differently for a very good reason. They are different! What's good for one may not be good for another.

In John 21, Jesus gave Peter a clue about some terrible things that would happen to him (vv.18-19). Peter's reaction was to ask what was going to happen to John. But Jesus said that even if John were to escape death entirely, "What is that to you? You follow Me" (v.22). Christ has very different yet equally perfect plans for His servants.

Sometimes we look at others and wonder, "Why has God done good things for that person but not for me? Why do I suffer when others don't? Why are things hard for me?"

God places us in different situations for His perfect reasons. Instead of comparing ourselves to other believers, let's acknowledge that our Father knows best.  — Dave Branon