11/30/2020
1 Corinthians 15:10 “His grace which was bestowed on me was not in vain.”
I have always struggled with self-esteem and confidence. I even got elected “Class Pessimist” in my high school superlatives. My husband, on the other hand, is a very confident person. He is also an optimist. Our son looks like his father, but unfortunately inherited the low self-esteem gene from me. He is very gifted creatively, and has gotten lots of praise over the years, especially when acting on the stage. He loves to act, but is highly uncomfortable with accolades. He remains humble in his gifts, but truly borders on questioning if they are there at all. Where my husband warmly accepts a compliment with ease, my son and I often cringe or divert such talk away from us.
As I have grown older, I see that my real value does not rest in the opinion – negative or positive – of any person. My value comes from being a beloved child of God. The more I am reminded of the truth that He created me just as I am, the easier it is to be in my own skin, and the easier it is for me to believe that I do have something to offer. God gives everyone gifts; we just need to be open to Him in order to use those gifts for His honor and glory. Chambers writes, “The way we continually talk about our own inabilities is an insult to the Creator. The deploring of our own incompetence is a slander against God for having overlooked us.”
God overlooks no one. We were all created by Him. Of course, the gifts and talents we value as humans are temporal. Our real value comes from the saving grace and mercy of Jesus, and what He suffered for us all. My true value is ultimately found in these words, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
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