There’s two sides to every story... well, maybe there’s actually three. In the case of this thorny matter of self-esteem, there are three. First and most important is the view that God has of us; then there’s the opinions that others hold concerning us; and then the perception we have of ourselves. Which “view” matters most? Which one will you trust as the cornerstone of your life?
In marked contrast to the stagnant world of secularism, biblical revelation presents a thrilling reality, which, if embraced, can provide one with an exhilarating sense of individual excellence. So, from the outset, it would seem that “the view God has of us” is the view that we need to build our life around.
Sadly, many people have a very meager appreciation of themselves... so much so that it hinders their effective service to God, and torments their lives with much unhappiness. The Scriptures tells a much different story, and offer hope to those who are unnecessarily down-hearted due to the malady of an impoverished self-esteem.
As the foundation of our self worth, we must recognize that all humanity possesses dignity by virtue of divine origin. God made us! He even blessed us as His crowning achievement of creation. Though blemished by sin, God never abandoned man to waste away. Man can firmly anchor his life and personal self-esteem through the process of spiritual regeneration and living in harmony with the will and purpose of God.
Who We Are
Man was made in the very image of God himself. On the sixth day of the creation week, God said: Let us make man in our image and after our likeness . . . . And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them (Genesis 1:26-27; 9:6). Woman, having been fashioned from man (Genesis 2:20-23), also reflects the glory of God (1 Corinthians 11:7). Wow! You and I are a reflection in “image and likeness” of the God of the universe! How cool is that?
This circumstance, of course, has no reference to our physical constitution, for God is a spirit Being (John 4:24), not a physical one (Luke 24:39; Matthew 16:17). That “image” then consists of spiritual qualities, in man’s mental and moral attributes as a self-conscious, rational, personal agent, capable of self-determination and obedience to moral law. We are intellectual, self-conscious, volitional creatures—designed by our Maker for fellowship with him. Even the ancient pagans seem to have retained a vestige of this concept. Aratus, a Greek poet, affirmed: “We are also his offspring” (Acts 17:28).
Can we actually fathom the unique honor that the Creator has bestowed upon us by endowing us with certain qualities that are intrinsic to His nature? The very contemplation of such is enough to both humble and thrill us.
God’s Unspeakable Gift
A second fact that breathtakingly crowns human beings with a wonderful feeling of value is the fact that God bestowed his Son as a gracious, free gift, so that every accountable person has the potential for redemption. All that is necessary to achieve such is to surrender to the Lord’s will (Hebrews 5:8-9; Acts 2:38).
That mankind has strayed from the Creator, and become so flawed religiously and morally, is an indisputable fact. If humanity were reprised according to what it deserves, eternal separation from God (a horror unimaginable) would be its dismal lot. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). There is, however, a way of escape (Hebrews 2:3-4).
Throughout the New Testament, there are repeated affirmations of the universal love of God for fallen man. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son in order to initiate a system of forgiveness (see John 3:16). The Lord would have all men to be saved by means of coming to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). Hear the testimony of John the apostle: Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God; and such we are (1 John 3:1).
Do we really realize the value of this offer of a child-to-Father relationship with God, as a consequence of Christ’s mission (see Galatians 4:4-5)? Again: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10). Can anyone bask in that sort of love and not feel a sense of surpassing value?
It would be superfluous to pile up passages that announce Heaven’s concern for the teeming masses of sinful creatures. They are found in abundance. While we are profoundly grateful for those benevolent declarations, one is taken to a new level of gratitude when he reflects upon the fact that the Scriptures consistently assert the message of God’s love for the individual soul. In that trio of parables given by the Lord in Luke 15—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost boy—the value of the individual person is underscored forcefully.
God is not willing that anyone should perish (2 Peter 3:9). And why not? Because the value of a single soul is worth more than the entire world (Matthew 16:26). The apostle Paul, in discussing why we should respect the tender consciences of our kinsmen in Christ, spoke of “the brother for whose sake Christ died” (1 Corinthians 8:11). Had there been but one sinner in all the world’s history, Christ would have died for him. How can one savor these marvelous truths without feeling a sense of profound awe in the divine order of things? When this concept sinks in and takes root in ones heart, all of the negative influences in the world—which tend to generate self-deprecation—will fade, leaving us with an appreciation of how very special we are.
There is another factor in the divine plan for rescuing man from sin that bears review, for it relates to the ultimate divestiture of power and position, that by Jesus himself. Prior to his coming to Earth, the eternal, personal Word, identified in the New Testament as Christ (John 1:1), was equal to the First Person of the Godhead (Philippians 2:6). However, as a component of implementing the divine plan, the Word became flesh (John 1:14), thus emptying himself of the “independent exercise” of the divine attributes. In this subordinated capacity, the Son could truthfully say: “The Father is greater than I” (John 14:28), and Paul could affirm: “The head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3). The incarnation did not involve a forfeiture of Jesus’ deity, as some have suggested, but it did entail a subordination of role, and an identification with humanity. This subordination did not diminish the divinity of Christ or his position and value in heaven.
This brings us to an important point. When Christ assumed his submission-role as God-man, was that a temporary status, or was the identity-connection with us permanent?
There is clear biblical evidence, that somehow, the voluntary subordination of Christ had permanent ramifications. Consider the evidence revealed in New Testament Scripture...
- Even though the Lord had already ascended back into heaven, Paul was still proclaiming that he “is [present tense verb] the Son of God” (Acts 9:20).
- Again, thirty years or so after the Lord’s ascension, the apostle refers to the Savior, our Mediator before God, as the man, Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5).
- The writer of Hebrews affirmed: “For both he [Christ] that sanctifies [present participle] and they that are sanctified [present participle] are all of one [nature]: for which cause he is not ashamed [present tense] to call them brothers” (Hebrews 2:11).
- Even in the final order of things, following “the end,” Christ will deliver all things back to God, and he himself be subject to the Father (see 1 Corinthians 15:24-28).
What is the significance of this? If it is the case that the mission of the Son of God involved an eternal surrender of certain privileges, all for our benefit, it reveals a depth of divine love for us that is utterly staggering, beyond our comprehension. If all this does not enhance one’s appreciation for your self-image, your personal stature and worth, nothing will.
Many people have diminished self-esteem due to what they perceive as deficiencies. Things such as physical features and appearance; lack of education; tragic circumstances; physical and emotional abuse; materialism; substance abuse; secularism and many forms and types of sinful attitudes and practices. The attitudes that dwell within the mind frequently are reflected in the conduct of a person. An inspired writer affirmed that, “as one thinks within himself, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). Jesus himself taught that the state of one’s mind is the fountain of his activity. “For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed” (Mark 7:21). If an individual harbors an unhealthy view of himself, such will be manifested in a variety of unhealthy physical and spiritual ways.
Living with the burden of a diminished self-image in not easy. I am not suggesting that the healing of such a personal perspective on oneself will be easy or immediate.
However, you can trust the promises of God, found in the Bible as the solution to the feelings of despair and low self-esteem. Pour over the Sacred Writings and ponder the messages of joy and hope found therein. It can be a life-changing experience.
Want some good advice for winning the battle of low self-esteem? Throw away your mirror, its not how you look, its the qualities of your heart; change your friends if need be; read the Word of God everyday; pray, mediate, talk to God about “who you are” and “who you want to be;” hang around with people who are walking with the Lord; embrace God’s perfect TRUTHS as the foundation for living; commit your life to Him and obey Acts 2:38; live in lock-step with the Holy Spirit; and dream about a future that never ends... yours... eternal life in fellowship with God. Your worth, value and confidence will grow and grow and grow....
You are one of God’s most treasured creations! Live like the person He designed you to be!
