The regard with which we view ourselves is called our self-esteem. It is our mental self-perception. We develop this perception throughout our lives as it springs from our nature, is cultivated by our nurture, and fleshed out and expressed in our experiences. Self-esteem is tied to our sense of belonging, our sense of worth, and sense of accomplishment.
Our problem is that sin affects every part of our being including our mental perceptions. The result is a distorted, false view of ourselves, others, and God. And since self-esteem often drives our behaviour, a distorted viewpoint will lead to sinful actions.
God's answer to our problem is to provide His Word for truth and knowledge about Himself and His actions toward us. His Word also provides us with truth and knowledge about who we are. Our new self-perception begins with a new birth into a new family. We are a new creation in Christ with a new identity. We are given a new mind—the mind of Christ—so we can see God as He is and see ourselves in proper relation to Him. At the heart of a proper self-esteem is a proper recognition of this new position in Christ. The Spirit of God in us teaches us the truth of who we are in Christ as we grow in the knowledge of God's Word. In learning these truths we can then go on to behave in a way consistent with who we are.
God makes some people large, others moderate in stature. Still others are small in size. We frequently make the mistake of calling small folks “little,” but that is an unfortunate and unfair tag. I’m not picking at terms...there is a great deal of difference between being small and being little.
When we’re reproved we feel defensive. We want to protect ourselves. But what if instead we committed ourselves to becoming like Christ? When conformity to Christ becomes our goal we welcome reproof.
Paul boasted—at least until he met the Lord on a dusty road to Damascus. After that, all of his achievements he considered as “rubbish.”
Standing alone is tough. It’s easier to fit in, to be a people-pleaser. Look at your home, your work, your relationships and ask yourself, “Am I any different from the world?”
It’s easy to be impressed with ourselves, isn’t it? We become enamoured with our positions and authority and we forget it is all given to us from the Saviour. Everything we have is on loan from Him.
It’s easy to compare ourselves to others—but there’s no reason to! God made each of us unique and to Him we are works of art.
Proverbs 27:2 says “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.” You do good work and others will find you. They will sing your praises.
Are you caught in a life filled with insecurity, inner struggle, and confusion? Perhaps it’s because you’re disconnected. Disconnections lead to disqualification and dysfunction. Connections lead to victory. Get connected to Christ.
In our image-conscious society, there is an enormous emphasis placed on appearing to be someone you’re not. Playing such a role is not just inauthentic; it also encourages us to keep others at a distance.
By dishing out likes, the Like Ninja is one of the only people I know of who uses the anonymity of the Internet to encourage and build up others. I imagine his likes are the equivalent of smiling at a stranger.
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