Guarding Self-Respect – Part 5: You Are Somebody (continued…)
When we don’t continually remind ourselves that our worth comes from God, we tend to look to others for affirmation. And if they don’t say what we want to hear, we attempt to resolve the problem on our own:
- We say in self-pity, “I’m not appreciated at this place the way I should be.”
- Or we boast, “You should have seen the changes in the way that committee functioned once I became chairperson. I tell you, it was awesome!”
- Or we fish for a compliment: “Did you like the table decorations at the Sunday School banquet?”
Rubbish. Do you know what rubbish is? It’s not the garbage, the food waste. Rubbish is the trash, the household things we throw away because they’re worthless.
Well, that’s what you can do with the affirmation needs you have, once you truly understand who you are in God and in Christ. You can take those desires for approval from others and toss them in the trash.
The truth is, the ultimate compliment is to have the God of the universe say, “You have great value.” And the supreme irony is that, for whatever reason, many of us are not able to hear His words of affirmation.
Are we special because of what we’ve done? Of course not. Our worth is based on God’s opinion of us and, more specifically, on what He’s done in our behalf through Christ. We “glory in Christ,” writes Paul in Philippians 3, and “put no confidence in the flesh.” The apostle continues: “If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more.” And then he reluctantly lists his credentials. But of those accomplishments Paul comments, “I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (vv. 3-4, 8).
In other words, Paul is saying, “That list of what I’ve done, spiritually speaking, is trash to be tossed out and never again sorted through. Let the waste company figure out what to do with it. I’m paying them to pick it up as junk. Rubbish! Because here’s who I am (and I am somebody): I am God’s child! Nothing can top that!”
We might say something similar.
- If I am affirmed by the media as talented, successful, important, but God is nowhere to be found in my life, is that a good position to be in?
- If I have a wonderful, high-paying job, but a terrible relationship with the Lord, what good is that?
- If friends fill my life, but when I’m alone I have no one to turn to who will hear me pray, what have I gained?
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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?
Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?
David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.
We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.
For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.
