The Secret of Self-Worth

Next Saturday, the town I live in is hosting an all town garage sale. Usually, I'm out looking for deals, but this year I have decided to join the sellers. The idea of having a garage sale really stresses me out. I have to clean out, sort through and gather from throughout the house. The worst part for me, though, is the pricing. I don't like pricing! It is so hard to determine the worth of something. One gal's trash is another girl's treasure.

This is true when we look in the mirror, too. What if someone asked you what you are worth? How do you determine your self-worth?

If you are like most people, you might base your self-worth on what others think about you or you might compare yourself to others who you think are somehow better than or less than you.

At our teen girls' Bible study last night, we looked at three ways the world determines the worth of a person and then we contrasted them to the way God determines our worth.

#1 Worth = What You Look Like

We are bombarded by a culture that judges people's worth by touched up photos of skinny models. So, we end of thinking that if we don't look right, if we don't have the right brand of jeans or the right hair cut or perfect make-up, we somehow don't measure up.

Here's some truth:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
Psalms 139:14

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Genesis 1:26-27, 31

God formed you with his own hands, and it was very good. You are wonderfully and purposefully created by God. Let's rewrite the world's first formula for worth.

Worth = God Made Me Special in His Image

#2 Worth = What You Do

Looks aren't everything to the world. We are also judged by our performance. Even your parents push you to get good grades and do well. Colleges are looking for students who are at the top of their class and active in community service and leadership. You feel pressure to make the varsity team, to be the good girl, to be a hard worker. These are not bad things, but they should not determine your worth.

Here is some truth that might hurt a little:

All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
Isaiah 64:6

Ouch. Did that just say God sees all of our righteous acts like filthy rags? All my accomplishments, abilities, achievements, good deeds, efforts, performances, skills, talents and triumphs are worthless to God?

The truth is God does not put conditions on His approval. When you accept Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord, He loves you no matter what. Your worth comes from Him, not from your actions. Let's rewrite the world's second formula for worth.

Worth = What Jesus Did For Me

#3 Worth = What Others Think of Me

We have a deep desire to fit in, to be accepted, to gain the approval of others and sometimes that leads us to people-pleasing actions that are opposite of what God would have for us.

Here is some truth:

How amazing are your thoughts concerning me, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
Psalm 139:17-18

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
I Samuel 16:7

But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.”
I Samuel 13:14

Nobody thinks about you more than God does. He isn't concerned with whether you are trendy or if others think you are funny or popular. He is concerned about your heart. David was the runt of his family, the baby brother with the lowliest position, most mundane job, the least experience and yet God chose him to be king over His chosen people because David was a man after God's own heart.

God's desire is for you to seek and find your worth in Him. Let's rewrite the third formula for worth.

Worth = What God Thinks of Me

You are not an accident. God created you just the way you are for His purposes. You have significant and tremendous worth.

The next time you are looking in the mirror, remember that what you see is what Jesus loves.

Remember, one gal's trash is God's treasure.

Our study is based on His Girl by Vicki Courtney.