What's your worth?

Most every person I've met and talked to for any length of time has had or is having issues with their worth and/or what purpose they are serving here on planet earth. We long to know we matter, that our lives make a difference.

Yet we're haunted by the belief that we've contributed nothing.

That's a lie you know. A huge lie straight from the enemy of our souls. But it feels true. That's exactly why this lie holds so much power. It feels true because we look around and see people we deem as important doing "Big Things for God" as my writer friend Sharon Hinck so perfectly portrays in her Becky Miller series.

I could tell you what to do with this lie, but instead I'll show you a slice of my life and how this very lie played out.

One day not so long ago, I had a rare car ride alone with my oldest daughter. She confided in me that she wished she had curly hair and went on to add that she liked the name “Marianne” because when she says that name she sees a young and free little girl with beautiful curly hair who wears cute clothes and not glasses which make her look too old.

Everything my daughter believes she is not.

My heart hurt for her. Hurt because as we talked I heard all the lies I’ve believed too. Hurt because my daughter is struggling with things that run so deep for so many.

I’d be beautiful if_________

I’m not pretty, important, worth anything because___________

We can all fill in those blanks, can’t we?

I told my daughter that I could fill in those blanks too and we had an interesting discussion about why we have these lists of what would make us "right" and "worthwhile."

Maybe you have no list but still think there's something wrong, something missing inside you or the life you have.

Either way, here's some of what my daughter and I talked over:

It’s hard to believe God made us correctly. The whisper comes to us like it did to Eve…

“Did God really say?” In other words—maybe God made a mistake.

I’d like to do what Eve and Adam did and play the blame game. It’s the TV’s fault. It’s society’s fault. It's those mean kids who teased my daughter about her glasses fault.

But the truth is we have the power to choose.

We believe the lie or the truth.

We accept the world’s view or we don’t.

We believe God made us beautiful in His sight, exactly how He intended us to be.

Or we don’t.

Whether we’re eight or eighty, if we hate, dislike, could stand to improve, or are just mildly dissatisfied with our bodies and with where we are in our lives, we’re in effect looking in the face of our Creator and saying, “You didn’t make me right. You made a mistake. Your plan isn't working.”

And who wants to hang out with the person that’s to blame for all we don’t like about ourselves?

These lies of the enemy attacking our beauty, our worth, and our self concept are dangerous. If left unchecked by the truth, they could easily lead us away from the Lord to any number of painful places.

To spending lots of money on “cute” clothes. (And having to replace said clothes every few weeks because the fashion world and people’s opinions are fickle.)

To a male’s attention.

To self-hatred and depression.

To diet after diet ‘til the mirror tells us we're beautiful.

Which won’t happen.

Because the mirror only reports what’s written on our hearts. What we believe.

So what do you believe about yourself? Do you believe you’re beautiful? A unique creation that the God of the universe delights in. A beloved child of your Heavenly Daddy who said in the Garden and still says every time He looks at you, “It is good.”

Or do you believe your hair, clothes, glasses, body shape, and name say differently?

The enemy is trying hard to get us to base our worth on the outside stuff. The things we can’t change—without much pain and expense—like our body shape, eyesight, and hair type. Instead of what God says is most important.

Our heart.

Our heart, which—if we belong to Him—has already been redeemed and made new. A heart that if we live out of the truth, can change the world and shine His glory. A heart that if we believe the truth, rests in His presence and glorifies Him simply by enjoying Him forever.

It's really isn't about what we look like or what we do. Our worth is only truthfully calculated by asking the God who made us what He thinks.

God says we’re beloved children. (Isaiah 43:1)

Beautiful. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

The apple of His eye. (Zechariah 2:8)

Worth counting every hair on our heads and capturing every tear in his bottle. (Matthew 10:30-31 and Psalm 56:8)

Worth singing over. (Zephaniah 3:17)

Worth dying for. (John 3:16)

Worth living with forever. (John 14:2-3)

Worth waiting for and wooing so that we’ll turn from the lies, from the fickle opinion of our mirror and other’s words, and come home. (Matthew 11:28 and John 6:29)

To an opinion of you that never changes. (Hebrews 13:8)

Is filled with love. (1 John 4:8-10)

And given with a smile and outstretched arms. (Luke 15:20)

Don’t believe that? That’s okay. It’s still true.

But God’s desire is that you believe the truth. In fact He said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)

Maybe it’s time to take another look at that mirror. Only this time, ask the Lord, “What do You see? What’s true about me?” Then listen closely.

The one who sees you first thing in the morning and even on bad hair days says you’re worth far more than rubies.

In fact, He is enthralled with your beauty. Both the inside and out. (Psalm 45:11)

I'm happy to report my oldest took our very long conversation seriously. And she took all I said back to God and the Bible.

What she found is what God reminds us both of often...

"God really does love me and want me just because I'm His!"

I pray you'll come to the place where you can echo my daughter's words and know with your head and your heart that He "knows the plans He has for you and they are good."

I pray you'll know that the God of the universe, who spoke the beauty of the world into existence, looks at you and smiles with joy simply because you are His.

You are loved.

Rest there, my friend. It’s where you belong.