4-8-18
The last few weeks we’ve talked about finding our own self-worth. We can’t get it from other people or from ourselves. For it to be right, it needs to come from God. It’s because of Him and what Jesus did for us that we matter. When we know that, what do we do with it?
When you’ve got something good, do you want to keep it to yourself? Just like a good movie or recipe, we can share how God feels about us. The problems that we have aren’t unique to us. So if I have a hard time feeling like I matter, then other people probably do too.
How do we do that? First, simply encouraging someone shows that you care enough about them to take the time to think about them. That they matter to you.
As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. – Proverbs 27:17
Being around our Christian family helps to build us up. We can also remind each other of what God has done for us. That’s what Paul did for the Christians in the city of Corinth.
And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. – 1 Corinthians 6:11
Paul reminded them of some of the bad things they did before they became Christians. But what matters now isn’t what we’ve done before. We’ve been cleaned up, set apart, and had our records wiped. Now we need to make sure that the sacrifice and work Jesus did to get us there isn’t wasted.
Let’s think about another reason we get insecure: our age. It can be hard for people who are young in the church to feel qualified to participate when more experienced members are watching us. Paul has another good piece of advice that he shared with Timothy, who was a young preacher.
Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12
Even something as important and public as preaching can be done by young people. Even if we don’t have as much experience as our elders, we can still set a good example in how we live. Besides, we’ll never become experienced if we don’t do things.
We’ve talked about how we can know that each of us is valuable, and it’s important to remember that. But we shouldn’t ever think too much of ourselves. The same sacrifice that makes us clean does the same thing for anyone who wants it.
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. – Philippians 2:3-4
Our church family is one of the most precious gifts we have. Let’s make sure that that’s how we treat each other.
Because of God’s grace we all have value. Don’t forget that you are important, and let’s build each other up.
May the Lord bless and keep you,
Heather
Heather Tabata 