April 22, 2014
In His Eyes
Part 1
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:14-15, NIV).
Friend to Friend
It was my first day of teaching second grade. While standing at the classroom door, greeting parents and children, I felt a tug on my skirt. I looked down into the beautiful blue eyes of Sammy, one of my new students. His mother, who was standing beside Sammy, looked at me, and said, “I guess you’ve heard about Sammy. Good luck!” As she walked away, Sammy said, “She’s right. I’m dumb and mean and can’t read or write.”
Lisa was a tall, blonde and beautiful young woman with zero self-confidence. Lisa was the family joke because she was always dropping things or falling on the stairs. “Klutz” became her nickname at home and quickly caught on in the youth group and church where her father was the pastor. Everyone thought she was clumsy, even Lisa.
A young wife and mother sobbed out her confession that she had just ended an affair, “He made me feel important and special.” A talented singer and pianist, she vowed to never again sing or play because she now considered herself damaged goods.
I often hear and see the same prison described by women living in the grip of failure and defeat for one reason or another. I want to share some good news with you.
God can set you free to be all He created you to be.
A healthy self-image is not rooted in pride, and it does not exalt self above others. In Romans 12:3, Paul clearly says, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Be realistic in your opinion of yourself. Success comes when we learn to accept God’s evaluation instead of our own, when we give Him permission to make us what He created to be, and when we begin to understand who we are in His eyes. How? Let’s look at six steps we can take to understand who we are in the eyes of God.
Step one: Check the label.
I love a good sale, don’t you? In fact, a 75% off tag may very well be a sign from God. (I’m still trying to convince my husband.) I have also learned that you can save money in the long run if you check the label. Let me explain.
We needed a new sofa – desperately. It had to be a certain color and style and fit my limited budget. I headed for the nearest furniture outlet, where I narrowed my selection down to two sofas. Both were on sale, and both would work in our home. I saw the salesman coming. Before he could say a word, I asked, “Which one of these sofas would you tell your wife to buy?” The man immediately pointed to one of the sofas and said, “Definitely that one.” When I asked why he had chosen that particular sofa, he replied, “Check the label. A company known for its quality work makes it. The other sofa is a cheap imitation.”
We can judge a product’s potential and value by looking at the one who created it.
God does not make cheap imitations of anything.
You are valuable simply because you were created by the hand of God. His design of you, and His plan for your life is second to none. He paid the highest price that could be paid – for you. To cower or crawl in inferiority is to say to God, “You made a mistake when you made me.” God doesn’t make mistakes, girlfriend. He never has to say, “Oops!” We were created in His likeness, and we are valuable to God. God knows your name. He loves you. You are His masterpiece and have been validated by God Himself. Wow! That is quite a label!
Step two: Embrace the plan.
While painting in the city park, an artist spotted a beggar sitting across the path from where he was working. Thinking of God’s handiwork in every human being, the artist painted the man as he imagined he could be. He then called the beggar to see the painting. “Is that me?’ the beggar asked. “That is the way I see you,” replied the artist. The beggar stared at the painting. With tears in his eyes he said, “If that’s the man you see in me, then that’s the man I will be!”
God created you in response to a unique plan He has for your life. You can discover that plan by reading the Bible, God’s instruction manual for your life. The Bible is powerful and will allow us to understand who we are in God’s eyes - when we consistently read, memorize, and apply it in our daily lives.
In my next devotion, we will look at four more steps we can take to understand who we are in Christ as we learn to recognize our value in His eyes. Don’t miss it!
Let’s Pray
Father, thank You for life and the special plan You have for me. Honestly, it is hard for me to understand and really believe that I am special to You. To think that You know me and love me just as I am really rocks my world, but I do want to see myself through Your eyes – no more and no less. Please help me.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Read the verses of Scripture and answer the questions listed below.
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
- How does this verse of Scripture emphasize the fact that you and I were created in response to God’s plan, not as an afterthought or as an accident?
Psalm 8:3-5 “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.”
- How do these verses line up with the way you see yourself right now? What one immediate change do you need to make in order to see yourself the way God sees you?
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
- Are you living a life plan that gives you hope and a future? Is it the right plan?
Read and memorize Isaiah 43:4 and make it one of your life verses: “You are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you.”
More from the Girlfriends
I have struggled with my identity and value for years. Fear of failure once kept me from dreaming new dreams. No more! My dreams seem to get bigger with every year of life that passes, and I really believe it is because my new perspective of who I am is more accurate than it has ever been. I am a daughter of the King. I belong to God and He loves me. No one can take my place in the Father’s heart, and I am indispensable to no one but Him. That is my prayer for you, girlfriend, that you will know and live out the truth that you are special in God’s eyes.
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