I’m not sure that this entry would apply to people who take pride in themselves, people without insecurities, or geniuses of sorts who have never failed at anything in life, who are so confident in their abilities that they’ll personally never see the need of a savior, God forbid. This entry is for the rest of us normal people (Already, I go on a tangent, but I think it’s a minor miracle if people with incredible ability are able to keep humble about their talents, and attribute all that they have to God. Not even kidding). Having said that…
A truth that’s changed my life is the notion that my value as a Christian is derived not from the things that I’m able to do or the people I know or the things that I’ve been fortunate enough to accomplish. To be honest, I used to find my value in affirmation from other people or from the number of friends I had. But, I’ve since come to realize that as long as I hold onto my personal conviction that God loves me, I can be completely alone and I’ll be perfectly fine. My value comes from the fact that Christ chose to die for me because he loves me more than I’ll ever imagine. That type of realization just blows my mind.
People without an understanding of love, I’ve realized, are surprisingly insecure, regardless of how laudable their achievements or enviable their personal qualities. Those who know deeply that they’re loved, however, possess that very quiet yet powerful confidence — a confidence not in themselves but one that is deeply embedded and rooted in an external force. Nothing shakes them, nothing overtakes them because they have a peace that literally transcends all understanding. Seeing these two qualities up close and personally… well, it’s not hard to tell when someone’s got that bona fide Christian swag. That kind of swag is what most people seem to want.
My challenge to you is this: try finding that same value for yourself. Struggle and wrestle with that idea. At the end of the day, the things that bring you pleasure are ultimately fleeting and at some point, I guarantee that they will let you down. If there’s one thing I’ve learned during the twenty one years of my young life, it’s that. Christ is the one constant that can and will endure through any bullcrap and still come out on top, bigger and better than before. The fact that His love for us is enough should be the foundation of our self-worth. You are loved so much more than you’ll ever understand. You are loved so much. Therein lies our value.
Otherwise, I’m not sure that we amount to much but ephemeral vapors caught in a passing breeze.