Why Worth Matters - Encouragement Café - August 4, 2015
Why Worth Matters
Café Menu for Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Today’s Special is: It’s Not Just About You
Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Jill Beran
Main Ingredient:
Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.
John 7:24 NIV
Entrée:
Why?
A question I often hear from my kids. They want to know and this short word helps them understand.
Recently, in the midst of a long lesson about worth, it was as if God answered the question, “Why does worth matter?” before I even asked it.
After sharing with a Mom’s Group about our worth and identity in Christ, a mentor Mom spoke up and said,
As I’ve grasped a better understanding of who I am in Christ, I am less likely to judge wrongly.
She went on to explain our identity can be linked to our depravity and when we know we need Jesus just as much as everyone else, we’re less likely to judge and look down upon them.
When we struggle to understand our worth; we often don’t rightly understand others’ worth either. This thought led me to reflect on my life-long struggle with worth… sometimes it led to putting others down, but it’s also led to putting them up on a pedestal where they don’t belong or want to be.
Growing up I looked up to teachers, coaches, 4-H leaders and on and on… having role models and mentors is a good thing. We are to learn from and respect others, but I took things to a whole different level. I didn’t just want to be like the women I looked up to, I wanted to be them. My feelings may have started out as respect, but at times they resulted in idolization.
When I think back to how wrongly I viewed myself and others, it makes my stomach turn. I was never good enough and these heroes of mine could do no wrong… at least that’s what I thought. Friend, if you find yourself in that place, please know this is wrong thinking!
YOU are God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10) and your hero is one of the ALL who sins and falls short (Romans 3:23).
Jesus is the Worthy One (Revelation 4:11) and He gives us our worth. May we remember to keep Him on the throne! As we do, we’ll stay off the stage and let go of the desire to put others down. We’ll also know not to put others on the pedestal and wrongly lift them up.
Why does worth matter? As we learn about our worth, we also realize others have value! It will help us judge rightly and love powerfully.
Take Out:
Is there someone you’ve judged wrongly or looked down upon? Pray for them. Reach out to them. Send them a card. Ask forgiveness as you remember, their worth just as much as you.
Is there someone you’ve idolized? Ask God for forgiveness. Pray that He will help you see others rightly and worship Him only. Ask Him to help you remember and understand the price He paid for you and the love He has for you.
Dessert:
Dear Heavenly Father, Lord thank You for sending Your Son to die for me. You paid the ultimate price, help me grasp the love You have for me. As I better understand my worth, I ask You to help me remember others have worth as well. May I see them the way You do. Help me to love others, but keep me from idolizing them. Father, I praise You, the Worthy One! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© 2015 by Jill Beran. All rights reserved.
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