A Sense of Worth
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:10-11
How does a Christian establish a true sense of worth? Some seek for it through the exercise of spiritual gifts! Spiritual gifts are important for building up the Body of Christ, but we don’t all have the same gifts. Therefore, “God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body” (1 Corinthians 12:24-25). So, a Christian can’t establish worth through spiritual gifts, because those with greater gifts would have greater worth, and that is not true.
Our individual talents make a contribution to the kingdom of God, but God has given five talents to some, two talents to some, and only one talent to others. Does that mean that only the Christian with five talents can have any legitimate sense of worth? The answer is a definite no, and those who try to find their identity and sense of worth in gifts and talents run the risk of not accomplishing God’s primary goal for their lives, which is godly character.
Are intelligence, beauty and performance the means by which we gain a sense of worth? The answer again is no. Paul writes, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).
There is certainly nothing wrong with being an intelligent and beautiful performer, especially if you use your gifts to the glory of God. After all, it was God who gave those life endowments! However, while God has not equally distributed gifts, talents and intelligence to all, He has equally distributed Himself. “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life. . . . Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:3-4).
Unlike this world, the ground before the cross is level. We all have the same standing in Christ. We find our sense of worth in our new identity and in our growth in character. Those who know who they are in Christ and have a life characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control will have a legitimate sense of worth and will not be unfruitful. The good news is that every Christian has exactly the same opportunity to accomplish that goal and receive the same inheritance in Christ.
What is wrong if some Christians don’t possess these qualities? According to Peter, they have become near-sighted and blind and have lost sight of the fact that they have been cleansed from all their sins (see 2 Peter 1:9). They have taken their eyes off the Lord and have forgotten (or never knew) who they are in Christ. They need to take their eyes off this world and fix their eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of their faith. “Dear friends, now we are children of God. . . . All who have this hope in him purifies themselves, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).
questions to consider:
What is wrong with basing our sense of worth in God-given endowments rather than in who we are?
How does our relationship with Christ provide us with a sense of worth? Why is this the only legitimate path to feel good about ourselves?
How good would we feel toward ourselves if we failed to grow in character, even if we knew that we are children of God?
How can you have a legitimate sense of worth and never stumble?
If you knew that God loved you as His child and your life demonstrated the fruit of the Spirit, would you feel good about yourself? Why or why not?
Neil T. Anderson is the founder of Freedom in Christ Ministries. He began the ministry in 1989 and continues to spread the message of freedom to this day.