OceanSide church of Christ

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DO YOU HAVE LOW SELF-ESTEEM?

Victor M. Eskew

 

            It seems as though many of us are deeply impacted by the view others have of us.  If others ridicule us and make fun of us, we have a tendency to believe them.  If others mistreat us, we tend to believe that there is something within us that justified the mistreatment.  If we are mistreated for long periods of time, we develop what some refer to as low self-esteem.  In other words, we develop a very low estimation of ourselves.  We do not look upon ourselves as having much, if any, value. 

            An understanding of some things taught in the Bible can help to correct the problem of low self-esteem that some individuals have.  The Bible does not present a negative picture of man.  The Bible presents a very positive picture of man.  First, all men and women are made in the image of God.  On the sixth day of Creation, God created man.  “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Gen. 1:26-27).  It is hard for us to fathom all that is involved in being made in God’s image and likeness.  We should note that it has nothing to do with our physical makeup.  God is a Spirit (John 4:24).  The body that we possess is just a tent, a temporary dwelling place.  We have an inner man that comes from God (II Cor. 4:16).  It is this man that is made in the similitude of God (Jms. 3:9).  All men are made in God’s image.  Nothing that another person can say to us or do to us can change this fact.  We are the offspring of God (Acts 17:28-29).

            Second, all men have been created just a little lower than the angels.  In Psalm 8, the inspired poet writes about man.  He is awestruck regarding God’s interest in man.  In verse 5 of the psalm, he writes:  “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.”  I often ask individuals:  “Do you believe that angels are marvelous creatures?”  The answer to that question is usually:  “Yes.”  Another question that I ask is:  “Do you feel that angels are far superior to man?”  The answer to that question is also:  “Yes.”  This, however, is not the case.  Man is made “a little lower” than the angels.”  Yes, angels are invisible.  Yes, they have wonderful powers.  Yes, they are in the presence of God.  But, they are just a little higher than man.  When I contemplate the truth that I am just a little lower than an angel, it enables me to understand the importance that man has in the order of the creation.  He is high above the animal kingdom.  He is just a little lower than the angelic hosts of heaven.  Truly, each of us is a marvelous being.

            Third, God has given talents to all human beings.  I love the first two verses of The Parable of the Talents.  “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.  And unto the one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey” (Matt. 25:14-15).  The lord had three servants.  Every one of them was given at least one talent.  Not one of them was left without a talent.  Two of the three were given more than one talent.  There is not a person on earth who has not been given a talent by God.  If that person puts that talent to use, he can double his talent.  The individual who possesses a talent is important to our Lord.  One day, He will come again and reckon with us regarding how we have used our talent(s) (Matt. 25:19).  Think about this.  God has instilled within us the ability to do wonderful things for His kingdom.  None of us are useless.  All of us are needed and important to God.  Listen to Paul’s words found in I Corinthians 12:22:  “Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary.”

            Fourth, God knows each one of us personally.  He knows our names.  When Satan came into the presence of God on one occasion, God asked him:  “…Hast thou considered by my servant Job…?” (Job 1:8).  He has been interested in us since the very moment we were conceived in the womb.  Listen to what David says about this in one of his psalms:  “My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.  Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them”(Ps. 139:15-16).  The reality is that God knows more about us than we know about ourselves.  Unless a person is bald, he has no clue how many hairs are on his head, but God knows.  Jesus said:  “But the very hairs of your head are numbered” (Matt. 10:30).  Who cares if others are interested in us or not?  Who cares whether others value us or not?  God knows us.  He is intimately aware of who we are.

            Fifth, God loves us deeply.  All of us have sinned and have come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).  This, however, did not keep God from loving us.  His response to our sins was to send Jesus to earth to die in our place.  “For God so love the world, that he gave his only begotten Son…” (John 3:16).  “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).  And again:  “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:9-10).  All of us should give serious thought to the fact that God loves us.  Just think!  “God loves me.”  If all the world were to hate us, God will still love us. 

            I am created in the image and likeness of God.  I am made just a little lower than the angels.  I have talents given to me by God.  God intimately knows me as an individual.  And, God loves me.  All of these thoughts should prove to us just how valuable we are.  Others may not think so, but God does.  We must put trust in the value God places upon us.  When we do, we will lift ourselves out of the mire of low self-esteem and begin to live as the offspring of God.  No individual can ever take that from us.