Think Big

How Do You See Yourself?

I am always puzzled when I read about celebrities who complain about their looks, status

or some other thing. These people seem to have it all. The public adores them and thinks their looks are perfect and their performance divine. So why are they not satisfied?

If they can be dissatisfied with themselves, how much easier it is for the ordinary John or Jane to have a low opinion about themselves? This was the case of Gideon. Israel had fallen on hard times on account of the Midanites and other eastern peoples who had invaded their land. He had such low self-esteem that when an angel appeared to him and addressed him as "Mighty warrior" (Judges 6: 12), Gideon replied, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family" The Lord answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together"(v 15 - 16). 

But Gideon was not convinced. He asked God to give him a sign (v 36 - 39) . And the Lord did so (v 40). And so it was that Gideon conquered the Midianites, but not before God had showed him more signs and caused him to hear someone interpreting a dream that foretold victory for the Israelites. 

So it is with us. We see ourselves as weak, insignificant, destined for failure even though God assures us that He is with us. We will not go after the job we want or the business we would like to start because we are afraid we might fail. But in God's eyes we are not failures. The Bible says, "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8 : 37).

If you are born again, when you look yourself in the mirror, you should see yourself as God sees you - son/daughter of the Most High God, bought with a price, beloved, redeemed, worthy, blessed and highly favored, the head and not the tail -- Shall I go on? Love yourself, because God loves you. 


 

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God Never Makes Junk

Photo credit: alvimann from morguefile.com
I was listening to a radio program the other day where the guest spoke of an experience she had in Rawanda. She said she looked out her window and saw a house that was surrounded by what seemed to be junk. Later that morning, a woman came out of the house and began to use every item that was in the yard. To her, everything was useful, none of it was junk. Someone said what impresses him when he enters a house is not how spotless it is or how artistic the decor, but the little things that may appear useless: a fading portrait, a chipped jar, a baby's first shoes. All these things which may appear to be junk are priceless to the owner. And that's how we are to God. We may be old and frail, young and addicted to drugs or alcohol, living a life of sin, but we are still precious to God.

 Some people may look at others and see them as junk. They may even treat them that way. Worse, some people may look at themselves as junk, good for nothing, fit to be dumped. Have you ever felt that way about yourself? Has your self-esteem sunk to the level that you see yourself as good for nothing? Someone, maybe a parent, a sibling or even a friend may have told you that you are no good and you'll never amount to anything. And you believed them. Well, I've got news for you. God does not see you that way.

There was an Israelite by the name of Gideon who felt very sorry for himself because Israel was being oppressed by the Midianites and Gideon and his family had fallen on hard times. One day, while "Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress to hide it from the Midianites, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour."  But Gideon replied, "Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us ..."(Judges 6 : 12).


Gideon felt unworthy of the angel's greeting. In Gideon's mind, he was a nobody. Later on in the chapter, he said to the angel, "Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house" (v 15). Have you felt that you are too poor, too old, too young, too whatever to be of use to God or even to yourself? God doesn't think so. He made you in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1 : 27). So then, how can you be junk? If you think of yourself as junk, then God has to be junk also, and you know that can never be true.


So, this Christmas season, if you are going through a difficult time, remember the reason Jesus came. He came because you are precious to Him and He wanted to lift you up out of the dump of sin and shame and give you a brand new life. You are not a piece of junk. You are God's special creation and He loves you very, very much.


Here's a lovely video by Scottish superstar Susan Boyle to put you in the Christmas spirit. Enjoy!