A Healthy Perspective Of Self
“(John the Baptist) preached, saying, ‘There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.’” -Mark 1:7 (NKJV)
There exists in America today, a self-esteem gospel. It’s a theological movement that says God’s primary purpose is to make us feel better about ourselves. The assumption is that God is very man-centered in His existence. The key to live is seen as “believing in yourself.” Obviously every human being needs a proper perspective on self but often our source of self-worth is wrong.
The world says that we must improve our self-esteem by seeing the good in ourselves. Many Christian leaders echo this sentiment with an honorary mention given to God’s supremacy. But self-worth should not be based on the good in us, for the Bible is clear that “there is none good, no not one” and that “no one does good except God.” For me to be saved, by approach to God must be like that of John the Baptist - a poor wretched sinner, unworthy to even stoop in the presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords.
What we must remember, however, is that this awesome, almighty, sovereign God allowed His Son to be beaten, mocked, and crucified just so that we could become the children of God. When it comes to goodness we’re really worthless. When it comes to God’s value of us though, we’re priceless! We were so valuable to Him that He gave His Son for us. You see, this is the only way that God gets all the glory He deserves, for us to be helplessly, hopelessly lost in our own sin, and for God to initiate a plan to rescue us, regenerate us, and adopt us into His family.
My self-worth is extremely strong, not because there is anything good in me, but rather because before I was born, the God of the universe saw through the portals of time into my life and set His affection on me in such a way that if no one else would ever be saved, Jesus still would have died just for me.
Alas and did my Savior bleed, and did my sovereign die,
Would he devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light
and the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
and now I am happy all the day.
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