Biblical Resources for Everyday Life
Self-esteem is what we think we’re worth. Self-worth is what we’re actually worth. The two don’t always match. Our estimate of our worth may have nothing to do with reality.
I’m sitting in my parked car overlooking the Pacific listening, not to the thunder of waves, but to the message of Mike Weaver’s heart-piercing song, Redeemed. I listen and I write. I’ve put the CD player on “Repeat” to let the words sink deep. Redeemed. New. Free. I listen to the words over and over. Thirty times … fifty times. I need these words. Redeemed. New. Free. Free from who I used to be. Free to live differently from how I used to live. Free to personally access the richness Jesus brings.
Read moreDo you ever try to boost your self-esteem? Of course you do – we all do – typically by comparing ourselves with others. I recommend against such comparisons, and so does the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:12. What’s wrong with this practice? Several things.
I’m sad. Not angry, not scared, just sad – sad for all that’s lost when we use gender to define who we are. It brings tears to my eyes. Gender identity is such a limiting concept.
Hypocrisy is acting like what you aren’t, The phony biblical Pharisees looked good and hid their evil hearts. Christians are phony in a different way. When a Christian sins they look bad and obscure their newly good hearts. For a Christian, sin is hypocrisy.
Here’s a true story about a horrible/wonderful experience. A disfigured stranger at the airport gave me a close glimpse of the profound difference between humiliation and humility. He reminded me of Jesus. He was at ease with himself. He lived out humility: not trying to be more than he was … not settling for less than he was. His example furthered my own journey from a pervasive sense of shame to knowing that God has given each of us – including me, including you – unassailable and unchanging dignity.
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