We are loved

I see it flash across my screen. The video of a young girl, cute as a button, talking assertively to herself in the mirror. “I’m great. I’m awesome. I can do it…” OH, how super! To have such wonderful self-esteem! The video is cute. The kid is cute. I have no issue with her, but it makes me think.

When my kids were little the messages have been ‘raise your daughters to be…’ You fill in the blank. Smart, competent, interested in science – not pretty! Never pretty, girls shouldn’t be valued for their looks. They should be valued for all the other things they do. These messages just made me think.

I don’t want my children, boy or girl, to be valued for anything they do or anything they are. In the end the idea of self-esteem is tricky. Our value shouldn’t be built on who and what we are. We should not feel good about ourselves because of what we can produce or preform.

I am not worthy. I am not all I should be, I never will be. But despite that God loves me. Even with all I do wrong and all I am, he loves me. He loves me so much he sent his son to die for me. My children don’t have to ‘be’ anything excepted loved. That gives them value. Love!

I have an old wooden carving of a shepherd with a lamb across his shoulders. My Grandparents brought it for me on their return from the Holy Land. At the time I didn’t know where the Holy Land was and why they went there, but I saved that little statue. It sits on my shelf today, forty years later. It has no value. It would fetch zero at an estate auction. But I love it. It has value because I put value on it.

Next time you feel you need a boost or a pick me up stand in front of your mirror and say, “I am not worthy, but HE is. I am HIS child. He loved me so much he sent his son to die for me. I’m overwhelmed by HIS goodness.” You might be shocked at how affirming love can really be!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”