What first comes to your mind when you hear or read the word ‘worth’? Often, it triggers thoughts of financial worth. In the past, my grandson frequently compared several billionaires’ worth with their contemporaries.
One line in the lyrics of O Holy Night, my favorite Christmas carol, goes, Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ’Til He appear’d and the soul felt its worth. I’m certain the definition of that word in that context has zero correlation with financial worth. It begs the question, when or how is it that Jesus’ appearance on earth could enable one’s soul to feel their worth if it doesn’t involve finances, a skill set or achievement? I highly suspect the answer lies somewhere in the realm of feeling unworthy. When a person discovers God values them enough to ask His Son to leave the glories of Heaven, become a helpless baby with a destiny to die on a cross so they could have His eternal life, that person has discovered new a sense of healthy worth.
However, this discovery cannot be assumed. An elevated level of self-worth based on something inherited or accomplished will thwart it. A very fine, upright man was honest and concerned enough to confess that while he understood God’s grace, he didn’t feel a need for it. I was proud of him for his honest acknowledgement. There are many whose choices, behavior and attitude reveal they feel like this man, but would never acknowledge it. Unfortunately, too many church attenders accept the concept of God’s grace, yet only talk and act out a humility of their own creativity. They cannot enjoy the blessings that flow out of authentic humility. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. James 4:6 (NIV) The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Psalm 34:18 (NLT2) Their self-worth blocks them from experiencing the felt worth referenced in the lyric of the Christmas carol.
How we think about God’s worth and self-worth will make the difference between living in false humility and authentic humility. False humility can come in two basic forms. It can be our self-generated acts of humility based upon the false premise that we can earn God’s grace. Another form of false humility is reverse pride. This is thinking we are beyond God’s capacity to give us grace.
Authentic humility is not to think less of yourself, it is to think less often of yourself and see things as they are. It also limits man’s unworthiness to his/her inability to earn God’s favor or love. It feels totally helpless and dependent upon God for His grace, as a mortally wounded man feels a desperate need for help. Grace is, by definition, a gift which cannot be earned.
Genuine humility also fixes one’s heart on God’s worth and knows man’s worth is directly connected to His worth. True worship is to gaze in awe at who He is. Jesus could be humble of heart because he knew who and whose he was. He had nothing to prove, therefore he could come as a helpless baby and grow into a man who loved freely. This difference between genuine and false humility deeply affects how we love God and others.
This begs the question. To what or who do you attribute your worth? Worth, based on your close relationship with God and His Word, will produce the abundant life Jesus has promised. I pray your soul feels it’s worth in Jesus, so His humble mind may be in your mind as well (Phil 2).