Regardless the success of his contemporaries, no man is a failure whose life is a positive reflection of Jesus Christ. – A. Baker
Category Archives: self-worth
Not a Failure
Filed under Christian Living, Christianity, Depression, Jesus, self-worth, Struggles and Trials
Padded Résumés
“Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.” – Proverbs 25:14
Résumés
There are a few things I hate to do in life, such as flossing (but I do it, anyway), hanging blinds, changing diapers, and moving. I also hate writing résumés – about as much as I despise licking a cheese grater.
Résumés (also spelled resumes, but looks like it would sound like re-zooms) are so difficult because of the desire to boast. For those of us who have less to boast about, filling out a résumé can be even more challenging. There is always the temptation to “pad” the résumé with skills not quite developed, like saying you’re a “lion tamer” when all you’ve tamed is your pet cat.
Expectations
The problem with a padded résumé is that while it may get you in the door, it won’t guarantee you can do the job for which you are hired. When employers hire people based on the skills they are supposed to have, the expectation is that the employees use their skills, or “gifts,” when called upon.
Sadly, many people have been let go from high-paying, high-pressure jobs when their “boasting…of a false gift” became evident. Examples include Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson, RadioShack CEO Dave Edmondson, and Notre Dame football coach George O’Leary.
No Water
Even more tragic than being found out is the negative effect lying about one’s abilities can have on others. When Solomon compares boasting about a false gift to clouds without rain, we might imagine thirsty people, or hungry people looking at withering crops. How cruel it would be to promise them water but never deliver!
Don’t be a cloud without water. Don’t boast about gifts and abilities you don’t have. Be the best you can be and live up to the expectations others rightfully have of you.
Filed under General Observations, Life Lessons, ministry, self-worth
Different Metal, Different Furnace
The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests the hearts. – Proverbs 17:3 NKJV
Gold or Silver
In case you were not aware, there is a difference between gold and silver (Well, duh!). Seriously, there is a difference between the two, and that fact should not be taken lightly. Gold is gold, and silver is silver. Obvious stuff, right?
Well, sometimes the obvious is profoundly important.
Gold is extremely valuable, but is soft and pliable. Silver is not as valuable per ounce, but is nevertheless a harder precious metal. Gold is highly sought after and coveted; silver is more common, but is still critically important for a wide range of applications, everything from electronics to medicine.
How one refines gold, compared with silver, is not the same. What’s more, the temperatures of the refiner’s fire is hotter for one than the other.
What R You?
When I read Proverbs 17:3 the other day, something obvious proved to be very profound: depending on how God wants us to be used, each one’s trial by fire will vary in intensity, the heat of which will determine what metal we are made of.
Source: The Australian
Unlike gold and silver, we are human; our qualities and usefulness change. Some days we are made of gold, while other days we are silver, but most of the time it is hard to determine which. That’s when the Refiner turns up the heat.
There is a lot to refining gold and silver. Not only is there heat involved, but various acids, too. Therefore, it should come as no surprise when God not only allows us to endure intense pressure (heat), but permits the caustic, painful situations of life to eat away the impurities within us.
God is the refiner of hearts.
Iron Man
But, you know what? Gold and silver, while both rare and beautiful, will never make good axes, swords, cannons, I-beams for skyscrapers, or bridges across raging streams.
Sometimes there are jobs that can only be done with iron.
Don’t feel special? Don’t think of yourself as gold-like? That’s OK! You’re important, too! As a matter of fact, the melting point of iron is nearly double that of gold.
You may think what you are going through right now is far tougher than anything a “golden saint” might deserve. Don’t lose hope; the fires forging you are instilling a strength that may be needed to wage war against the Enemy, support the heavy loads of many, or bridge the gap between understanding and ignorance.
Don’t curse the furnace. Let the Refiner do His work.
So, You Think You’re Worthless?
A while back I there was a conversation in which I was asked, “Tell me, name one thing I do well?” Distraught and depressed, broken and humiliated by disabling pain, feeling like a burden to everyone else, this person said, “I’m worthless. I can’t do anything.”
The Violin
As I remembered those words, especially at this time in my life, the image of a musical instrument, a violin, came to mind. Then I thought of my guitar and other instruments; each one capable of making beautiful, worshipful music, but only in the hands of one with talent enough to play.
I imagined the violin asking, “Tell me, name one thing I do well?” All I could think to reply was, “Nothing.” What can a violin do on it’s own but rest in a case, sit on a shelf, or gather dust in a closet? In the hands of one with no skill, with other things to do, and with no love for music, the violin could even become a wearisome burden over time.
In the wrong hands the violin is “worthless.” It has no value, no worth, no ability, no projection, no tone, and no song on it’s own. Alone, it really can’t do anything.
The Master
Then, right on cue, another thought exploded in my brain: What are we but instruments in the Master’s hands? We have no ability on our own. The violin never plays itself. The only way a musical instrument can ring out notes of joyous praise is when it is given life by the energy of the Musician.
But some may say, “I’m not a violin, a guitar, or anything like that.” Maybe so, but in the hands of a skilled musician even a trash can can bring an audience to its feet.
You may not feel like you’re valuable. You may feel worthless. But don’t believe the lie of the Enemy! Your value is not determined by what you can do, or what you look like, or by what others think, but by how much the Master was willing to pay.
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” – 1 Peter 1:18-19 NIV
Dear friend, don’t let your inadequacies, your mistakes, or your disabilities make you feel worthless. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, thought you were worth dying for, and willingly shed His blood to purchase your soul. In your own strength you may be incapable of anything but being a burden on others, but in the hands of the Master, your life can be an instrument of praise in the concert of the ages.
Who knows? You may already be on stage … so don’t give up … the audience may be ready to applaud.
Broken and Beautiful
Sunday morning we visited Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church in order to see and hear the work my daughter Katie has been doing there. She was hired by this church to teach and conduct the Joy Choir, a precious group of primary-aged crumb-crunchers.
I can’t show you the video, simply because I don’t have the ability to upload it here to my blog. However, look me up on Facebook and you’ll be able to find it.
What I can show you, though, is a picture I took of a beautiful, huge, stained glass window in the main sanctuary of the church.
What immediately came to mind was the fact that this beautiful work of art was created by piecing together thousands of broken pieces of glass. Yes, broken things.
Have you ever stopped to think about how God can take what is broken and make it new? Well, try to think about it this way: God can also take what is broken and make the brokenness beautiful!
Because God is God, and not man (Hosea 11:9), He can do more than create new things; He can take broken things and make beautiful creations from the pieces! The Master Craftsman can take that broken relationship, that scarred past, that wounded emotion, and that sense of inadequacy and create a masterpiece of beauty through which His light can shine.
Filed under God, self-worth
A Flirting God?
The following is Part 3 of a 3-Part series of controversial posts first published in Sept. of 2013. I hope this one’s a blessing.
Don’t Be Shocked
I know that the title may come as a shock to many of you, but don’t be too shocked, at least not yet. I have been talking about men and women flirting over the last couple of days, but as I told you, there was a method to my madness.
You might be saying, “And if you say God is a flirt, then you are truly mad, you crazy fool!” But please, hear me (or read me) out. “Flirting” might not be the best word, but what about “wooing”? If not a flirting God, surely He woos us all the time.
Background
Now, just in case you think I am crazy, let me share with you one of my favorite verses from one of my favorite books in the Bible, Hosea.
“I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.” – Hosea 11:4 KJV
With metaphor God explains to the prophet Hosea how He has gone the extra mile to win over His people’s love. That, after all, is the message portrayed by Hosea’s pursuit of Gomer (that’s his wife’s name) as she runs from lover to lover. God would much rather win our love than divorce (judge) us.
When I think of the first part of that verse, the words “cords of a man” become “heart strings.” In other words, in order to win our affections, God is doing everything He can to “pull our strings,” or at least the emotional strings of our hearts. Cool, huh?
Signs of Wooing
As with the last two posts, I’d like to consider some ways in which God might “flirt” with us. In other words, God might be wooing you if…
- You wake up earlier than you wanted, but see the most beautiful sunrise of your life.
- You decide to give up on life, only to have an email pop up showing someone worse off than you.
- It seems that there is no meaning in life, but then you hear a baby cry, or your child says, “I wuv you.”
- In the dark, late at night, you find yourself crying, but a warmth you can’t explain wraps around you, cradling you to sleep.
- You find yourself feeling like a failure, worthless and dirty, then from out of nowhere comes a verse you learned in Sunday School: “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son…”
Do I need to go on? Is He pulling the strings of your heart? Will you respond to His advances?
He does love you!
Related articles
- I am Gomer (woundedhealerwarrior.com)
- Signs of Flirting? (therecoveringlegalist.com)
- Hosea and Gomer (adreaminmyeyes.wordpress.com)
- She Might Be Flirting If… (therecoveringlegalist.com)
Filed under God, Love of God, salvation, self-worth
Don’t We Want the REAL Definition? {the truth of who a woman is}
I am not a woman, and I never will be. That is why you will never see me do at least two different things.
First, you will never see me walk into a woman’s bathroom or locker room – my gender orientation is not “fluid.”
Second, because I am not a woman, you will never see me write anything like what I’m reposting from Robin L. Lewis. The following is just a wonderfully inspiring – and biblical – look at the true definition of womanhood. Please take the time to read it and let her know what you think.
Have you ever looked up a word to find that the real definition was quite different than what you had believed it to be? How did that change your understanding of the sentence or the verse?…
Source: Don’t We Want the REAL Definition? {the truth of who a woman is}
Filed under America, Guest Posts, Marriage, ministry, self-worth
A Small Observation
A version of this story can be found in my book, Life Lessons from the School Bus.
Politically Incorrect
OK, I will admit it, once you read what this is all about you will tell me that I am being politically incorrect, insensitive, or mean-spirited. You will say that the title of this post is inappropriate and beneath me (well, the beneath part is right). You may tell me that I should not make fun of those who are “vertically challenged.”
If you say these things because you think I am making fun of short, small, or otherwise non-tall people, then think again. I am only being humorous at their expense to make a point. Actually, it won’t be at their expense for long. I am going to pay the bill.
Children Can be Cruel
You know it’s true – children can be cruel, especially around people who are “different.” When driving around a bus load of elementary children, one can hear a lot of cruel comments come from their little, angelic, crumb-crunching mouths.
Little girls, as well as little boys, can get downright mean with the things that they say. However, they have no idea of the lasting consequences of their teasing. They have yet to sit through months or years of counseling.
Because kids can be cruel, even when they don’t mean to be, I try to steer them (literally) away from opportunity. But on one occasion, even though I did the best I could, the kids jumped at the chance to gawk and laugh. I will never forget what I saw.
Choosing Not to Hear
One day I was driving my school bus down a two-lane road when just ahead of me I spotted a dwarf…a short guy…a midget…walking by the curb. Immediately, I knew what was about to happen.
Right ahead of where this guy was walking was a place I had to make a stop. Sadly, I could not just speed on by, but had to slow down. When the first child saw this little man it didn’t take long for the 20+ others to shift over to that side of the bus to take a look. In an instant there was laughter.
But in all honesty, the laughter was not all that loud. My kids are aware that stuff like that makes me angry, so they try not to get caught. So, only if one had been really listening or paying attention could that person have heard the giggles and jokes. The little man on the road didn’t want to take any chances.
As soon as I started to pass by this 3ft-tall little bald guy with biker tattoos (wearing a tank top and little jeans), he did something that really broke my heart -he put his finger in his ear. He knew what was coming, and he didn’t want to hear.
That simple action said a whole lot.
- He had heard cruel laughter before
- He expected to hear it again
- He knew what kinds of things would be said
- He did not have the will, nor the ability to defend himself
- He decided to not listen, but to close his ears
Sadly, many are convinced what other people say about them is true.
The jeers and the laughter not only offend, but they cut deeply, causing irreparable scarring and pain. How many have given up? How many have quit defending themselves?
One of the characteristics of a true Christian should be that he defends the defenseless, the ones who can not speak up for themselves. Psalm 82:3 says that we should “defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.” Couldn’t this also apply to standing up for those who are made fun of or mocked unjustly?
Consider the words of Jesus: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Mark 12:31). What kind of person would want to be laughed at because of something he/she could not help?
Be Considerate
The next time you are tempted, consider what you are doing. The next time you are around someone, even a child, who makes fun of another person, stop and take the time to “defend” and “do justice.”
Don’t walk around with a finger in your ear.
Filed under Christian Maturity, Do not judge, General Observations, self-worth
When Is One Valuable?
Last night, as I was driving home, I took the above picture. To be nice I edited out the name of the church, along with the pastor’s name.
The first time I saw the sign it didn’t take long for me to realize something was wrong. Everything was spelled correctly (at least I think so), but the message of the sign was incorrect.
The problem with this sign is that someone misapplied the truth that something is only as valuable as what another will pay. For example, I have an old chunk of wood in my garage. For all practical purposes it is worthless. However, should someone offer me $500 for it, the piece of wood’s value just increased dramatically. But if I could never get even $.25 for the wood, it’s really not worth much at all.
Yet, when it comes to people – living souls – our value is intrinsic; we were made by God in the image of God…God doesn’t make junk. Therefore, it is because we are already of immense value that God sent His Son to pay the price for our redemption upon the cross of Calvary.
The price that God paid for us does not make us valuable; it confirms our value to Him.
Should we accept the message on this church’s sign, we must then assume that those who are lost without Christ are of little or no value. However, thanks be to God this is not true!
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” – Matthew 13:44-46 KJV
“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” – 1 Corinthians 6:20 KJV
Our value preceded the price paid, and that is why there was only One who could afford the sacrifice it took to redeem us.
Filed under Christianity, salvation, self-worth
The Recovering Legalist 