~ Carol Brazo ~
"No Ordinary Home"
I've had a real problem with this quote.
Something kept nagging me about seeing my own worth. People (and commenters) tell me I am too hard on myself. I don't see it as beating myself up. I see it as knowing who I am. But I've noticed my children have inherited from their mother an uncanny ability to recognize their own flaws. I refute them and tell them all the wonderful things I see in them, but they, like me, assume I am just being nice (Your mother HAS to think you're special, right?). Last night, in a room of college kids, I was joking around about the nature of my aging skin and battles with weight junk. I noticed as I automatically downplayed myself (I really don't try to put myself down, but it must come out that way) how the eyes of the people in the room shifted to the ceiling and someone uttered an "Oh, whatever, Tami." Is God trying to tell me something regarding my view of myself? Do I dishonor Him when I am keenly aware of my imperfections?
But is it all bad to recognize our deficiencies? Isn't that where the work of God is displayed? When God takes a shy little girl and makes her a leader in her church, doesn't that cause those who knew her when to think, "How did that happen?" Aren't they forced to acknowledge the power of Almighty God? In talking about my personal faults, I mean to show my college girls how far I have come. Can't they see God's hand in that? Shouldn't it bring others hope to see God's power made perfect in our weakness?
I don't agree it is impossible to bring holiness into the lives of others unless we have our self-worth questions figured out. It was my own issues of feeling less than ideal that caused me to reach out to God in the first place. When we, in humility, admit our weakness to Him, doesn't He fill us with His Spirit, doing the work THROUGH us? You know, "When we are weak, He is strong." How can that not be holy?
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10 comments:
Amen, when we are weak, He is our strength.
Tami~
I agree that when we are weak He is strong. I also agree that a *healthy* understanding of our weakness in comparison to Him is so important. But I do not think knowing what we are in comparison to Him is the opposite of self-worth. My worth comes because I know that I can't do it without Him and that He created me that way. It is in that understanding we share holiness.
But I have found, for me, that it is easy to fall into a habit of being "humble" and "aware of my weaknesses" in such a way that is still pride "look at me, how bad I am, and He loves me." When the focus is on me (positive or negative) I am not able to share holiness. And it just makes the people around me uncomfortable.
Thank you for sharing (as always). You gave me more to ponder.
Amen we are weak and our strength is through the Lord. Thank you for sharing. I have enjoyed your insight.
In his endless love,
Angel ( Angel Mama Pearls of Wisdom)
I too am thankful for His strength in my times of weakness.
Just remember that our worth is kind of like the "special china"- not the everyday dishes.... although both can serve the same purpose, the special china showcases our food (works) in a much better way... as it is with the quote...
Just my 2 cents...
Ooooh, this is really thought-provoking. I have a tendency to be self-deprecating too, in the attempt to be funny. I don't think that's the same as letting our weaknesses be used by God, though. Our weaknesses are there whether we draw attention to them or not, and so God will be glorified in them. He doesn't need our help in pointing them out. But the flip side is pride. There's a happy balance somewhere and it meets up at the cross!
Thanks for this post Tami!
Well-thought post, Tami. I think I've struggled with this same question, Tami and the conclusion I've had to accept by faith is simply that Jesus died for me. I was worth dying for. I was created in his image and although there's nothing inherently worthy about me, I have value because he deems me valuable. It's like if you give a kid in a 3rd world company who's never seen a hundred dollar bill - he might just wipe his nose on it. For that matter, Bill Gates may sneeze at a mere $100. The value comes not of the bill itself but from the one imparting value.
I have to trust that I am valuable to God, not in and of myself, but because of him.
I struggle daily with what you said. Sometimes But sometimes I tend to take it to far, to the point of really putting myself down. I know God made me wonderfully. At times I fear how much I dislike myself. Thank goodness God is in control of my thoughts. And gently tells me he made me and will guide in the way he wants to work through me. Great blog as always makes me stop and think. That I'm totally his to control. And to be used by him. And that I'm my own worst critic. And I don't see what others see in me.
RIGHT ON Sister! Yes, I do agree, his power is made perfect in our weakness.
I struggled with this quote as you did, because the first thing I realized was that, contrary to what the quote implies, many Christian women DO NOT have this "worth" thing settled. I think you put it into very powerful words.
Being completely honest, I also want to say that I think you're very astute in noticing that your children may be picking up on your own humility. This self-worth thing is a tough one, isn't it? I will pray that God shows you yourself the way He sees you!
Very thought-provoking. You aptly point out the delicate balance between having it be "all about me" and feeling like we don't deserve to have anything be about us. We run the risk of being egotistical and self-absorbed but do need a degree of confidence to succeed in the world. It's not easy stuff! Great job making me think about it, though.
I want to thank all of my commenters for their gentle reminders that dwelling on our weakness can also reflect a pride problem. It was a kick in the pants I needed. You've helped me to think twice about any reference to myself, good or bad. I pray God will continue to teach me to forget about me.
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