If you have never watched it, go on YouTube and check our Dr. Suess' The Sneetches. The gist of the story? We make up all sorts of rules to determine who is in and who is out, who matters and who does not.
Do we matter? We fear we don’t. We fear nothingness, insignificance. We fear evaporation. - Max Lucado, Fearless, Chapter 2
When we feel like we don't matter, we do silly things. Guys act more manly, spend crazy amounts of time to make a little more money to buy more stuff, drive the right car, live in the right house, get the promotion, etc., in an effort to proclaim to the world that he exists and should be noticed and respected. Women may do similar things, and are culturally encouraged to be just a little sexier looking, acting and behaving to get noticed and respected. Some women have found themselves in a fearful position of not being adored by a guy, and give themselves away to keep his interest, only to have it backfire and feel worse about herself.
Others make sure they wear the right labels, make the right friends, ignore the losers, and attend the right gatherings. All in an effort to feel like they matter. We don't want life to be for naught...
Connect to someone special and become someone special, right? - Max Lucado, Fearless, Chapter 2
Sometimes we add value to our personal stock by association. We drop impressive names here and there to impress people. Since we know somebody, it means we're kind of a big deal, right?
I fell into this experience several years ago. One day I opened a church-trade magazine to see a familiar face: Rob Bell. The article introduced Rob and his ministry which he just left. He was the founding and Senior Pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, MI, a church where many thousands gather every week. Rob is also known for his 24 Nooma videos, his speaking tours, and his provocative writing. When I read the article, I was kind of giddy, because Rob is an old high school friend of mine. After I read the article, I gave him a call and we caught up.
When colleagues would mention his films, I would say, "Hey, guess what? He is an old friend of mine!" It was just fun that an old friend was doing cool stuff. But then I noticed that this connection got more response than I expected. I got treated differently simply because I am an old friend of Rob's. For awhile, I must admit, I kind of enjoyed it.
But then you realize that whatever extra stock value you might get from an association really is only because of it, and not you, and that's wonderfully sobering. This actually led me to think about related stuff in my life. My dad was a leader, and being the son of a leader around those he lead meant I got treated different. I could ride on his coat-tails a bit.
Eventually, any time someone made the connection, I would start to make light of it. Just a month ago, I was in a pastor's meeting and someone started talking about Rob, and one of my buddies referenced me as an old friend of Rob's. The truth is, while I love Rob's work, and we have corresponded some, we aren't tight. I am thrilled for him, and glad for our past. But his life and success are in no way tied to me. I now try to make it a point that while I am sure he knows my name, I am also sure I am much more familiar with his face than he is mine.
We eventually get to a place in our lives when we start wondering what it's all worth, what's the point of it all, and what am I worth? Not getting an answer leads to great despair, terrible pain which demands to be addressed. If it goes unanswered, we medicate one way or another, but the pain is still there. Some fill the prescription with addiction to substance which leads to a range of awful consequences. Others fill the pain with more socially acceptable meds: affluence, materialism, fame, sexuality, appearances, which can also lead to a very hollow experience of life. Once in motion, it's hard to pull out of the swirling, chaotic funnel we find ourselves in.
The fear that you are one big zero will become a self-fulfilling prophecy that will ruin your life.
- Max Lucado, Fearless, Chapter 2
It turns out Jesus had some things to say about this.
What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. – Jesus in Luke 12:7 (NLT)
But it wasn't just talk with Jesus. Socially, he knew his value in God's eyes and it changed his life. Part of catching God's vision of people's inherent value is making it known, which Jesus did very frequently, dramatically, and effectively.
Jesus was a loser who…
- Spoke to a Samaritan woman: loser
- Ate with tax collectors and sinners: losers
- Forgave an adultress: loser
- Healed lepers: losers
- Healed the blind and lame: losers
- Forgave the priests who killed him: losers
- Disciples: fishermen, artisans, tax collectors: losers
If you feel like a loser, you’re in good company…
…people who – through Jesus – understood that they were precious in God’s sight, of incredible inherent value, worthy of respect, capable of brilliance.
They had real, profound, counterintuitive hope.
They changed the world, and continue to do so.
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. - The Bible, Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
May you see yourself from God's perspective more today than yesterday, everyday. May you know you are beautiful, wonderful, capable. May you discover that you have all the strength you are looking for in the face of God who knows you, loves you, and wants you.
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