Image

This coming Sunday I’m starting a series called, “Image.” I’ve probably been challenged more studying for this series than any series I’ve done in a long time. All of us (yes, even preacher types) are caught up in appearances. We all care about our own looks, having the right image, and making a good first impression. I think that more than any other time in world history, we are absolutely, overwhelmingly consumed with image. Just think, someone could hire an advertising firm and with enough money and the right people, take anyone, ANYONE, and make that person famous by giving him or her the right image. No matter how much that person had achieved, or what kind of talents she possessed, or the depth of his character, with the right PR people, that person could really be somebody. It’s all about the look!

So often our lives seem to just revolve around this idea of having the right image. We all want to be accepted, and since the world screams at us that it takes a certain image to be loved and accepted, we will spend whatever time, money, and energy we have to get that image.

I read this past week that some psychologists have said that a person’s self worth is largely determined by what he thinks the most important person in his life thinks about him. In other words, if you’re girlfriend is the most important person in your life, then her view of you will determine your view of yourself. The only problem is that we are depending on imperfect people to help us determine our self worth! And for a lot of people, their view of themselves is pretty low because they’ve been surrounded by those who’ve constantly beat them down throughout their lives.

But I’ve got great news for all of us – God’s view of us is not based upon our look, or our fashion sense, or our performance, or even our character. It’s based upon Himself, and because of that, He thinks we are wonderful! This Sunday I’m talking about what the Bible says about how God views us. If God is most important in our lives, then it ought to be His view of us that determines our self worth.