Embracing Who We Are

Self-worth. This combination of two words is something I believe everyone (myself included) struggle with. When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you see all your faults, all of the mistakes you’ve made, everything you wish you could take back, or do you see the beautiful person that you are and are becoming? At this moment, you’re probably thinking something along the lines of;

   

“Hey, hold up there. You don’t know me, you don’t know how ugly I am or all of the bad things I’ve done.”

If this is running through your head right now, you’re absolutely right. I don’t know what you look like and I have no idea what you have done in your life.

So how can I do something so bold as to tell you that you’re beautiful? The answer to this is simple, you were created in the image of God. Genesis 1:27 says “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female  he created them.” (NLT)

Are you a human being? Yeah, that’s what I thought. That means you were created in His image. It’s so easy to let ourselves believe what the world tries to tell us. That we’re not tall enough, skinny enough, pretty enough, strong enough, whatever the case may be. Instead of listening to these hurtful lies, next time you look in the mirror remember that God made you in His own image - no matter what the world says, you are BEAUTIFUL, you are LOVED, and you don’t have to change who you are to be accepted. This does not mean you can’t want to look nice or want to better yourself …Those things are important, too. The point is that you need to love yourself just the way you are. Jesus loves us just the way we are, which I think is pretty amazing considering that he knows everything about us ...Even the stuff we don’t want anyone to know about.

Likewise, we should try to love others just the way they are and not make fun of them for being different. The people we laugh at because they don’t live up to what the world thinks is important in a person are made in His image just as much as you are or I am. It is crucial that we remember this. I know it’s something I struggle with.

Lastly, we should ask Jesus to help us to be worthy of being made in His image. Yes, it is impossible but through what Jesus did on the cross, it doesn’t matter if we’re worthy. Then what’s the point of trying? So people who don’t know Jesus can see him through us because we are really trying to do what he wants with our lives.