It’s common and easy to have low self-esteem. People around you are eager to put you (and everyone else) down and to find their faults. When we listen to criticism from others, it paralyzes us from moving forward, from even trying to accomplish things. It can give you a defeated attitude. Having low self-esteem can also lead you to think that God can never use you for His purposes.
And yet God hand made you….to be who you are…His masterpiece! Psalm 139:13-14…For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. And remember that God doesn’t make junk!!!
That being said, God saw that you (and all of us) sin. That sin disappoints God and separates us from a Holy God. But not from His Love for you. You are worth so much that He sent His Son Jesus to restore your relationship. You are that precious to God!
When you look in the mirror…you are seeing God’s handiwork. And if that’s not good enough after He made you, He then He purchased you back after you were lost to sin. Romans 3:23-24…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Maybe this story will help:
Little Johnny had spent hours building a small sailboat, crafting it down to the finest detail. He carried his new boat to the edge of the river and then carefully placed it in the water. How smoothly the boat sailed! Little Johnny sat in the warm sunshine, admiring the little boat that he had built. Suddenly a strong current caught the boat and moved it far from his reach downstream.
Little Johnny ran along the riverbank as fast as he could. But his little boat soon slipped out of sight. All afternoon he searched for the boat. Finally, when it was too dark to look any longer, little Johnny sadly went home. He knew he loved that little boat that he built. But what he didn’t know was that downstream a man found his boat and took it to the town where he sold it to a shopkeeper.
A few days later, on his way home from school, little Johnny spotted a boat just like his in the store window. When he got closer, he could see — sure enough — it was his! Little Johnny hurried to the store manager: “Sir, that’s my boat in your window! I made it!” “Sorry, son, but someone else brought it in. If you want it, you’ll have to buy it.”
Little Johnny ran home and counted all his money and had exactly enough! When he reached the store, he rushed to the counter. “Here’s the money for my boat.” As he left the store, little Johnny hugged his boat and said, “Now you’re twice mine. First, I made you and now I bought you back again.”
You are twice God’s. First, He hand-made you…Then through Jesus death in your place, He bought you again. He not only died for you…to restore your relationship with Him, but he also has big plans for you. Jeremiah 29:11… For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Does that surprise you? You may let low self-esteem cause you to start to list excuses why you are not good enough or qualified to do God’s ministry.
Well, that’s what some familiar people thought:
- Abraham was old.
- Moses stuttered.
- Jacob was insecure.
- Leah was unattractive.
- Joseph was abused.
- Gideon was poor.
- David had an affair and all kinds of family problems.
- Elijah was suicidal.
- Jeremiah was depressed.
- Jonah was reluctant.
- Naomi was a widow.
- John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least.
- Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered.
- Martha worried a lot.
- The Samaritan Woman had several failed marriages.
- Zacchaeus was unpopular.
- Thomas had doubts.
- Paul had poor health.
And yet all of them had a piece in the story of God’s creation and redemption!!!!
So, how about you…Do any of those sound-like excuses that you have thought about yourself?
There is an old story that never loses its powerful message:
A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.
She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!” The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference for that one!”
The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had said and done. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.
Sometimes we get discouraged because we cannot solve all of the world’s problems. We feel inadequate to help people, to share Jesus with them, and to do everything that God wants us to. But the truth is that you can do something and let God do the rest. You cannot win the whole world for Christ, but you can share the love of Jesus with someone. God will take what you do, bless it, multiply it…just like He did with the boy with his lunch by the sea of Galilee. Take time to read Matthew 14:13-21 to see how God can do miracles out of a small boy who offered to help. So now what? Well God has placed you to be where you are and to be who you are. He has equipped you with your specific gifts, abilities, relationships, situations…to do 2 things:
To be prepared to share Jesus with others thru your words.
1 Peter 3:15… But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
And to serve Jesus as you serve others in His Name.
1 Peter 4:10… Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
- Pray to the Lord for direction….offer yourself without excuses to be used by Him. . You do your part, and He will do His!
- What unique relationships and situations can you use to share Jesus?
- Who do you know that does not have a relationship with Jesus? How can you share your spiritual story with them?
- Who do you know that needs your help…or needs a friendly phone call…or encouraging card?
- Worship with us today on Ash Wednesday
- Onsite at 12:00pm, 6:30pm, or 7:00 pm or online at 12:00pm or 7:00pm via royred.org/onlineservices