We live in a world that greatly values power and performance while richly rewarding physical athleticism and external beauty.
As our nation prepares for the 2016 presidential election, candidates are raising millions of dollars and a few are spending their self-amassed fortunes to become one of the most powerful leaders of the world. CEO’s of fortune 500 companies are financially rewarded with cash, stock, and other options (or replaced) based on their job performance.
Professional athletes demand million dollar contracts for throwing a ball, dunking a ball, dribbling a ball, catching a ball, hitting a ball, putting a ball, and kicking a ball. The best of our athletes make more money in product endorsements off the field because people want to buy the products they push. We want to be like Mike. Or LeBron. And for some, Tom.
Meanwhile actors, models, and musicians not only get rich, but they also wield tremendous societal and political influence. They influence what we wear. They shape how we talk. They impact how we think. They determine what we desire.
Still other people are defining their worth, or others lack thereof, based on race. “Black Lives Matter.” While that’s a true statement and addressed real hurts and genuine fears when the movement began, the movement seems to have created an even greater divide in our country. All lives should matter — unless, that is, you’re powerless inside a woman’s womb.
Sheriff Ron Hickman of Harris County, Texas, addressed this issue about whose lives matter after one of the officers under his command, Darren Goforth, was shot and killed at a gas station last week, “We’ve heard ‘Black Lives Matter,’ ‘All Lives Matter.’ Well, ‘Cops’ Lives Matter,’ too, so why don’t we just drop the qualifiers and just say, ‘Lives Matter.'”
There are still others who determine their worth based on sexual orientation or identity. We’re pressured (by the powerful, by politicians, by athletes, by musicians, or by actors) to think that individuals should pursue and do whatever they think will make them happy and feel good about themselves.
Throughout our culture we have been conditioned to believe that appearance, race, sex, money, talent, and defining achievements determine how we evaluate people.
And ourselves.
Where do you usually go to find self-worth? Whose opinion influences how you view yourself?
The Bible tells us that God greatly values us, but not in the way that we might think. He doesn’t take pleasure in the symbols of strength and beauty or the temporary things that amuse people. The LORD sees and delights in what demonstrates real strength and eternal worth: knowing and trusting Him.
The Psalmist explains,
The LORD is not impressed by the strength of a horse;
He does not value the power of a man.
He values those who fear Him,
those who put their hope in His faithful love.
— Psalm 147:10-11
In the NT, Paul gives further insight into our self-worth:
5 Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, God’s wrath comes on the disobedient, 7 and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. 8 But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices. Colossians 3:5–9
Those are the things that the world values. That’s the old self.
But in Christ,
10 [You] have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. 11 In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. －Colossians 3:10–11 (HCSB)
The new person in Christ has a new perspective of life where all material, physical, racial, national, religious, cultural, sexual, and social distinctions are determined to be worthless. Instead, Christ is now all that matters for all those who believe in who He is as God’s Son and what He has done through His death, burial, and resurrection.
Christ is everything in salvation － no more performing on our own for a relationship with God.
Christ is everything in sanctification － no more achieving to determine our value.
Christ is everything necessary for satisfaction － no more searching for happiness on our own.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
In Christ, our personal value before God in Heaven is based upon the (sinless) performance of Jesus. In Christ, our eternal relationship with God is because of Christ’s power on the cross and through His resurrection. In Christ, our old way of thinking about ourselves and others has died. In Christ, our perspectives, prejudices, misconceptions, enslavements have all changed. Jesus Christ is our all in all. He defines our value and He alone gives us eternal worth. Our identity is in Him. He makes life worth living.
Follow me… as I follow Jesus Christ.
following Jesus 