The world says I have significance because of something I accomplish, but God says I have worth because He created me.
The other week, a friend was sharing worries about returning to a high pressure job after maternity leave, and I said to her “just remember, your worth is not found in your job.” The second the words were out of my mouth, I realized that I was speaking to myself.
Before COVID, I had done some contract work on and off, but over COVID I hadn’t taken on any. It’s been 2 years of not working outside the home. And now that the kids are back to their activities without any looming lock downs, I am getting antsy and I think a bit depressed. There are days I can’t get myself motivated to do much of anything. And when I think of how others are contributing to the world, I feel a bit like I'm living on the outside looking in, lacking purpose and worth.
Now maybe some of these feelings are good and are convicting me to get moving and get more connected, but many of these thoughts wrongfully connect my worth to my performance and contributions.
And isn't this what the world screams at us. If you look a certain way, earn a particular amount, get the promotion, go viral with your social media, or donate large quantities of your time and money, then you will have worth. We see these people as somehow more significant and more worthy of honour. I’m guilty of judging myself by these standards, and if I’m really honest with myself, I at times judge others by these standards too.
There are 2 major flaws with this way of thinking.
The world says I have significance because of something I have accomplished, but God says I have worth because he created me.
The contributions that are deemed valuable to the world may not be the contributions that God desires from me.
Here is what God says I am:
I am an image bearer of God.
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
I believe this means that God has placed pieces of his character in me, and that's worth a whole lot.
I am a child of God.
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12)
Even if I could do nothing but be, I would be loved by God because I am his child.
I am wonderfully made.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:14)
God created me as a unique individual--as wonderful--and despite all my failings, I still have all the ingredients to be/become His masterpiece. This is the hardest for me when I see all my flaws, but this scripture reminds me of my origins.
Christ lives in me.
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.(Galatians 2:20).
I can let go of all the heavy baggage that I've collected in my life and allow Christ to live in me--His gift of love to me. And if Christ is in me, that is worth more than anything we could do on our own.
You might be thinking that’s all good, but God didn’t create us to sit around and do nothing. Very true. God has planned good works for us.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians. 2:10)
However, these works flow out of my relationship with God, and while they can benefit myself and others, these works are not the source of my value.
We are all searching for significance. That’s human nature, and I believe this need has been placed in us, because it points us toward Christ. We were created to have purpose and we can find that in Christ. I’m starting to believe more and more that by seeking Him first, you end up realizing how loved you are. As you grow in Him, you also realize who you are and how you can use your gifts.
My prayer for you and myself is that we become so “convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord“ (Romans 8: 38-39). Lord help us to find our significance and worth in YOU and who you say we are. Help us live in that confidence.
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