Do you ever feel bad about yourself? For example, are you hard on yourself? Do you call yourself names? Are you self-critical? Do you feel insecure? Do you feel inferior? Do you feel superior? Do you compare yourself to others? Each of these is evidence of the enemy’s attacks on your self-worth. All of us are objects of his fury and fallacies. He hates you and wants to hurt you every chance he gets. Don’t be fooled. He is the one putting ideas in your mind that are completely contrary to your Abba’s ideas about you. There is a line in the movie, “Inception”, that perfectly describes where the battle for our self-worth is waged. “Your mind is the scene of the crime.”
In Matthew 13, Jesus speaks with crystal clarity about how valuable you are to Him.
44 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The man in both of these parables is Jesus. He is the one who finds the treasure hidden in a field and the fine pearl. In both cases, He sells all He has because He wants these and it gives Him great joy! We are the treasure and the pearl! Jesus gave all He had, His life on the cross, so He could take us with Him now and forever. It gives Him great joy to live in you and for you to live in Him. This reminds me of what Hebrews 12:2.
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
What was the joy set before Jesus as he contemplated His crucifixion on the cross? His joy was knowing that He would have you as His treasure. You were worth so much to Him, He was willing to die on that Roman rugged cross so He could have you in His family. You are so special to Him, He was willing to do whatever it took to buy you back from satan. This is what redemption means.
If you found a large diamond, where would you go to discover it’s value? An expert gemologist. With that in mind, where do you go to find your own value? The expert on humans, Jesus! What if “fixing our eyes on Jesus” includes realizing our self-worth is fantabulous because He bought us by giving His life to have us!
Read Matthew 13:44-46 this week and say out loud over and over, “Jesus, I have fantabulous self-worth because I am a treasure You paid for by laying down Your life for me! Thank you.”
Mark Maulding,
President and Founder
