Worthy

I don’t know about everyone else in the world but over the last 2-3 years I’ve noticed an increasing number of Facebook posts, articles, and conversations centered around worth. Some commons ones that I’ve seen are the commotion over the body-shaming of women, to include breastfeeding, the effects of bullying and how it has lasting effects, not to mention the multitude of others. Largely these conversations take one of two points of view — 1. That “millennials” are too sensitive and that we basically need to toughen up or 2. That such victimization is unacceptable and we need to unite to bring an end to the thought that a certain person, body type, race, religion, etc is worth more than another. 

Today I’m here to talk about the less popular {in media} but, depending on what circles you run in, more valid response to worthiness.

How do I prove my worth when there aren’t opportunities to perform?

This question was posed to me a few days ago in a book that I’ve been reading for a little over 2 years now called From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel by Christine Hoover. 

**disclaimer** The fact that I’ve been reading this book for over 2 years shouldn’t dissuade anyone from reading it. It is a normal length book and I promise I’m not an insanely slow reader, I’ve just been busy {sometimes busy reading other books….} but I PROMISE it’s really good! So good I bought it for a friend as a graduation present last year….and I think she’s already finished it….but that’s besides the point. I knew it was gonna be so good that I got it for her before I even finished it. 

So anyway, back to the point. Proving your worthiness. I would be lying if I said I didn’t get wrapped up in this question A LOT, but when I do get wrapped up in proving my worthiness I usually come to the conclusion that if I don’t have those opportunities to perform that I think will truly show others how worthy I am then there has to be something wrong with me. 

Rarely, if ever, do I remember that I am the daughter of a King who’s Son has already performed to the n[th] degree. He was the worthiest of worthy. No matter how I perform, it really doesn’t change the endstate. So the next question the  for me is, who am I proving my worth to when I perform? Most of the time I can narrow it down to 3 categories — 1. My bosses 2. My family 3. My friends

So what do we do when life finally slows down for a few minutes and there’s just a general feeling of worthlessness. Like when I was transitioning to a new position — I was supposed to be shadowing the guy I was replacing and following him around, learning how to do my new job, but really I wasn’t doing anything. I showed up to work everyday and everyone else had a purpose except for me. I felt totally worthless. That was only a temporary feeling obviously because once my shadowing period was over I was completely swamped in meetings, tasks, and just generally running around. But that short term misery of just showing up but not really having anything to do, just kind of bee-bopping around until the day ends its super not fun.

But isn’t that what faith in Jesus is like?

All we have to do is show up, Jesus paid it all. He did all the work, He felt the pain, He went to all the meetings, the tasks, and the generally running around. And in the end we are still worthy without having to pay the price for it, all we have to do is ask.

So really the question at the end of the day is where do you find your worth? Is it in the temporary things of this world that can be written down, accounted for, and people can give you accolades for? Or is it in the permanent things outside of this world; everlasting love and grace of the one who gave it all so we could receive it?