It’s easy to talk about having identity in the Lord, but in practice to operate an undercover policy on self-worth. It looks a bit like this:
I glibly agree that Jesus loves me and that of course – that is what makes me valuable. Secretly however, I’m also investing in a few offshore accounts.
There’s the ‘looks’ ISA for starters. The ‘good wife’ high-interest saver. The ‘mum’ tax bonds. The ‘church worker’ credit card. For those day-to-day transactions, the simplest and most convenient strategy is to withdraw from my own savings.
That is, until the sun stops shining. Come that rainy day, the problem is this – my funds are insufficient. When things are going well, they seem ample enough. But when storms brew – extra bills, sickness or suffering, I find with horror, that I’ve got no credit.
So let’s say I get depressed. I can’t get out of bed or wash my hair, let alone go to work. When my husband comes home, it’s to find the house in a state of complete disrepair, the bins overflowing, the fridge empty. I can’t even feed the cats, let alone look after a family.
How’s the self-worth scale looking now? I’m not working, I look revolting, I’m a terrible wife/mother and my brain has turned to mush. Do I still have value? And if so, where does it come from?
If I’m trusting in my own funds, then I’m already bankrupt.