Not About Self-Esteem
For most of my life, I’ve been surrounded with the doctrines of the church of self-esteem. It has promoted itself under the guise of preventing suicide, improve happiness, and even increase morality in society. The idea is that, if people could convince themselves they are awesome, they would enjoy life more and even value others more because of how much they value themselves.
I have also, in this same lifetime, watched suicide rates climb, people become more angry and frustrated, and our society slide into greater levels of sinful behavior at an alarming rate. How could this be, when each year we came out with new ways to protect children from experiencing failure, have new ways to positively affirm one another, and even have people policing words to avoid even accidental offense more than ever?!
Even many Christian congregations adopted this feel good, emotional pick-me-up, mentality to help people get through the struggles of the day.
Those Who Did Not Esteem Themselves
We could have looked back through church history to guarantee that we didn’t fall for the empty promises of this emotionally manipulative plan. Many great men of the faith have lead joyous lives poured out for the good of others, while recording some of the most self-deprecating statements in history.
In the first place, I ask that men make no reference to my name; let them call themselves Christians, not Lutherans. What is Luther? After all, the teaching is not mine [John 7:16]. Neither was I crucified for anyone [1 Cor. 1:13]. St. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 3, would not allow the Christians to call themselves Pauline or Petrine, but Christian. How then should I—poor stinking maggot-fodder that I am—come to have men call the children of Christ by my wretched name?
-Martin Luther Admonition Against Insurrection (1522)
Speaking of Paul, how about his inspired considerations of himself?
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Romans 7:21-24
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
1 Timothy 1:15
Certainly they couldn’t be accused of breaking with this commandment:
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Philippians 2:3
However, is it possible they were being too hard on themselves, to the point where there was no way for them to have joy?
Their Wealth Was More Than We Understand
How could stinking, wicked, sinful men have value? Worse, what hope is there for the rest of us, who are impressed by the conviction and strength of faith of these men?!
It helps to look at where Paul found his worth:
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
His value is not his own. It was given to him as a gift of great price by Christ! What value does this new life in Christ have?
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Romans 8:18
First off, for some perspective, our glory will be so great than the totality of our suffering will be as nothing by comparison. Rather than looking at our misery right now as something that taints our life, we should consider how it reveals just how exceeding the blessing of new life in Christ must be.
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:4-5,9-10
Though we are rejected by men, God has a completely different view of our value. We are spiritually the temple and priesthood of the living God. We are a kingdom set apart for Christ, as his holy nation!
How should we approach making determinations in this life in light of the authority of Christ in our lives?
When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!
1 Corinthians 6:1-3
And not only are we being prepared to judge over the creation with Christ, but even to exercise dominion over it!
The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;
2 Timothy 2:11-12
In ourselves, we are less than nobody. Our works are of no lasting value and our lives pointless. In Christ, we are a holy nation of rulers over all creation, capable of faithfully judging even angels. The value of the works Christ has prepared for us to walk in have value that will last to eternity. Pick up your head, child of God!
