Remember You're Special!

Do you feel special? What do you base your answer upon? Typically, we base our evaluation of what we call “self-esteem” upon values such as: appearance (how do I look?), performance (how am I doing?), and status (how important am I?); and our sense of worth (what value do I have?), our sense of belonging (Do others want me around?), competence (What skills do I have?) and purpose (What am I here to accomplish?). The problem is we often get wrong information about who we really are and what our purpose should be because we live in a world full of sarcasm and negativity. Many times, in a quest to feel good about ourselves, we diminish the value of others or put them down. This just perpetuates the negative feelings people carry around, making it hard to feel special.

Perhaps it would be better to trade our quest for ­self-esteem in for something much more objective and true—God-esteem! Interestingly, when considering the areas listed above through the eyes of Scripture, we are given vivid messages about each of these from a much different perspective. God tells us we are created in His image, thus our appearance is based upon our reflection of Him (Gen. 1:26). Since we are not saved by works, but by grace, our performance is not what God uses to determine our worth (Eph. 2:8-9). God does not love us or select us based upon status. He chose Israel when they were the least of peoples (Deut. 7:7-8). Our worth is clear just by considering the price He was willing to pay for us to be with Him—He gave His best for us (Rev. 5:9). He makes our belonging clear when He talks about choosing us (Eph. 1:3-5). Our competence is measured through what Christ can do through us (Phil. 4:13). And He tells us our purpose is to accomplish good works He created for us to fulfill (Eph. 2:10). So, whose voice are you listening to?

In raising up the three children God has placed in our care, Deeann and I have constantly tried to remind them that they were created to accomplish good works and that they are special in God’s eyes, and in ours! We told them this all the time! Every time one of our children was leaving the house, or when we dropped them off for school or some other activity, or when they went to bed at night, we would regularly tell them, “Remember you’re special!” Our children became so used to hearing this that they would try to beat us to the punch. When we would pull up at school to drop them off they would hurriedly open the back door of the car so they could run off, and they would say as they left the car, “I KNOW, I KNOW, I’M SPECIAL!” It then got to be a game to see who could say it first.

This morning in our sermon, we will see how culture has consistently distorted the view of mankind so that we think less of ourselves than what God’s view is and wind up accomplishing less than what He has created us for! We will see how God spells out very clearly in the Scriptures that we are special! Man holds a high place in the kingdom of God! Will you choose to live like a child of God, or settle for less? God wants you to REMEMBER YOU’RE SPECIAL!!!

To listen to sermon, click God's High View of Mankind.