Self Worth

A Piece Of Chocolate Week 17 Self Worth My Dear Chocolatiers, Happy New Year! I pray that you all enjoyed either a quiet, cozy night at home or a smashin’ good party when 2008 arrived! I have been asking people around me, “do you do new year’s resolutions?” and most of them said no. I however, do. At least I say that I do. I think of loosing weight, being a better woman, wife, Christian, mother, and keeping my house cleaner, nothing grandiose. So here’s the almighty question…when I make a new year’s resolution, am I setting myself up for disappointment? Am I just adding more stress to my life that I don’t need? Why are resolutions so important anyway? Perhaps it’s due to an issue of self worth. Having a healthy self worth is priceless. Let’s see what the Bible teaches about self worth. Let’s go to John chapter 8:1-11. I love this story. Jesus was teaching some people in the Temple and as he was teaching, some “teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They Put her in front of the crowd”. Can you imagine how humiliating that must have been? Talk about issues of a low self-esteem! So one of the teachers said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” Not only were they trying to cause dissension, but they were also giving this woman a very public trial. And, let’s not forget that the penalty for her crime was to be stoned to death. So with her very life in the balance Jesus decided to give her a significant and life-changing gift. In verse 6 it says “…he stooped down”. That’s right, he met this woman where she was and blessed her. Have you ever fallen in public? I have. Have you ever locked your keys in the car? Did anyone ask you if you were alright? Did anyone go look in the trunk of their car for an old wire hanger to help you out? How did you feel when they came along your side? Even if the person stank and had only a few teeth, having someone that is willing to come along side of you during your small crisis made you feel not so alone huh? You felt grateful, embarrassed, and not so awkward huh? That’s what Jesus did for this woman. He valued her self worth enough to identify himself with her. He stooped down not just once, but twice! He became her advocate and salvation. And, he put the teachers and Pharisees in their place by saying, “All right, (you can stone her), but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Needless to say they all went away…one by one. Then Jesus saved her life and gave her a sense of equality to those other men especially since they were sinners as well and then he reaffirmed her by saying “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more”. He freed her from sin and her low self worth. Wow, Jesus sure does care about how we see ourselves. So, back to new year’s resolutions…I think I’ll just make myself available for Him to stoop down and change me and not the other way around. That way, this time next year he’ll get all the credit for the ever-changing new me. Here is your verse to meditate on: John 8:8 “Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.” Have a wonderful year! Love, Dede