Thirsty Thursdays: Know Your Worth

Self worth or self-esteem is a term used to reflect person's overall emotional evaluation of his or her own worth. It is a judgment of oneself as well as an attitude toward the self. If you had to honestly put a monetary value on how much you thought you were worth what would it be? What were some of the factors that contributed to the amount you thought of? Did you feel as if you had to subtract or not go quite as high because some of the negative things you’ve done or situations you’ve been through?

A lot of times people feel as if things they’ve done or situations they’ve been through tarnish them a bit. With each blemish they think or feel less and less of themselves and they never really forget or let go of whatever they may have done as if there is no turning back or recovering from whatever it may have been. So they tend to just go along with it as if it is too late and there isn’t anything they can do. I’ve come across this attitude multiple times especially when asking or hearing about individuals who no longer or never really attended church. When questioned on why they would say something along the lines of “I’m too messed up” or “with all the things I’ve done I can’t go to church, God doesn’t want me” but this is actually completely false. You CAN and SHOULD build a relationship with God regardless of what you’ve done. “21 But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. 22 None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. “ Ezekiel 18:21-22. It is never too late to turn your life around. As long as your heart is pumping blood and your lungs taking in oxygen you can make a change for the better.

Don’t get too caught up in what you’ve done in the past. As long as you are living you are never past the point of saving. Your sins, shortcomings, all can be forgiven. It doesn’t matter how much you used to drink, what drugs you used to do, whatever sin you took part in or maybe currently still take part in. It is not too late, you are not too tarnished or too tainted, you are still of value, GOD STILL KNOWS AND SEES YOUR WORTH EVEN IF YOU DON'T. It’s like the “Twenty Dollar bill” scenario.

            “ A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200 he asked “who would like this $20 bill?” Hands started going up, he said “ I am going to give this to one of you but first let me do this”. He proceeded to crumple the $20 bill up. He then asked “who still wants it?” Still the hands were up in the air. He replied “well what if I do this?” and dropped it on the ground, then he stepped on it and began to grind it into the ground. He picked it up and now it was crumpled up and dirty “Now, who still wants it?”. Still the hands went into the air. He then went on to say “My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. NO matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless; but no matter what happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are all priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know but by WHO WE ARE”. 

You are SPECIAL. No matter what we go through or what sins we commit, God knows our value. Life can throw us down, drag us through the mud yet still no sin, vice, fall or shortcoming can change the fact that God sees us as PRICELESS. Through it all it is never too late to ask for forgiveness and turn our lives around. “30…Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit…”

STAY THIRST MY FRIENDS

Thirsty Thursdays