The list popped up on my browser: “The 20 Most Beautiful Women of All-Time.” To my dismay, my name was not on it. And I’m not the best at much.
I also did not make the Best Chef or Best Dressed lists. But I can do many things well, despite not being the best at any of them. Maybe I’ll make my own list and call it The 150th Best At.
When I measure my successes by other people’s, I can quickly lose my sense of worth, especially if I have bombed out or given up on a project that required a lot of energy. That’s when I must stop and ask myself a question: Am I losing my understanding of what makes me valuable to Jesus?
That’s a serious question and worthy of contemplation. Sunday school teachers stress that good little boys and girls are rewarded. According to Jesus, rewards and crowns will be earned. However, He loved us while we were STILL sinners, not because of our good behavior.
We have so much value that Christ gave up His righteous blood in exchange for our unrighteousness. When I think about that, I am amazed. I don’t have to earn my righteousness. Christ makes me worthy.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. This powerful verse means I don’t have to be the best at anything for Jesus to love me. I don’t have to earn my right standing with God. Jesus does that for me. I want to be obedient because I love Him. After all, I delight in my children when they respect my counsel and obey me. They do not always manage that perfectly, but I love them even when they fail because they are mine.
Choose obedience daily, and revel in God’s love for you.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay and geralt.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
Harriett Ford is a writer of numerous faith-based books, both fiction and non-fiction. She has led women’s Bible study for several years. Her passion is inspirational writing.