Scripture: I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Phil. 3:14 NASB 1995
I wasted a lot of time and resources too concerned about what people think. I vested too much of my worth in the approval of others. Worse, I sought the approval of certain people more than others based on their attractiveness, influence, skill, success, or charisma. This vanity kept my eyes off of the “goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”.
Perhaps this bondage I was in could be called the “fear of man.” Have you ever been in this place with me? And yet, over and over again our God in His word calls our attention to the relative low estate of mankind in comparison to Him. I think of God asking Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38:4)
This verse recently captured my attention: Men of low degree are only vanity and men of rank are a lie; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than breath. Psalm 62:9
In the balances they go up… breath is more consequential than a man who is only full of himself!
The answer to all three problems, that of my misunderstanding of my worth, my regard for the opinion/value of some, and my disregard for the opinion/value of others is somehow the same. Our amazing God humbles me, rectifying my view of myself and others in one magnificent maneuver: with the law He destroys my trust in my own righteousness, and then from the cross hands His to me in exchange! He has given us purpose way beyond our futile efforts to form/reform ourselves into something praiseworthy. I was created in His image to reflect His glory, not my own. In spite of all of my failures, He has redeemed me into this very calling.
We have value not because of what we achieve in the estimation of man. We have value, beyond the range of any scale to measure, because He has put His life, in the person and work of Jesus by His Spirit, into us!
Precious Lord, my Savior, I praise You for showing me anew who I really am, what You think of me, and why You have created and redeemed me! Amen
Copyright Jere Vandewalle. To connect with the author, email jere@christianeducators.org
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