How to Know Your True Value

In my youth, we had to try out to play on a Little League baseball team, and if you were not chosen you played in the minors.  At my tryout I played well enough to make a major league team, quite a feat for a small, 8 year old kid!

I was a good player, but when they selected the all-star team I was not chosen — I was crushed.  I felt that I had failed as a ball player!  What a hard lesson to learn as a child; my self-worth had to come from something other than success as all-star.  I have had to learn this same lesson about self-worth repeatedly over the years.  Feelings of inferiority and inadequacy are all too common. Fortunately, the Lord’s perspective has helped me see my true worth (His words are in blue).

What is the true value of man?

“The natural tendency of man is to be valued. The natural way that value is judged is by tangible assets – possessions, property, goods, and money. By these measures men judge the value of men.

But My scale is different.  Your value comes from within, from knowing that I see what you are doing.  Your value is not from visible, measurable, tangible results, but from obedience and transformation of people around you.  I value hearts!

Is your heart Mine? Do you live to please, enjoy and express My values? Are you reproducing My life in those around you? Are those you touch, you influence, becoming Mine and becoming like Me?

Changed hearts, not numbers, not programs, not staff, not buildings, not money are the measures of success for My people.  Position, recognition, the accolades of men are no measure of true value.  The measure of true value is the heart and its commitment to Me.  Success and value are measured by willingness to follow Me no matter where, when or what the cost.

This is the measure of a man:

• Does he know Me and live through Me?
• Does he obey?
• Does he love Me no matter what he sees or experiences?
• Is his heart fully Mine?”

True contentment comes from true success

True success is internal. It is a life given wholly to Me and lived entirely through Me.  This is the life of My sons and daughters. These are the ones who are the champions of their day. Few are known to man, but ALL are known to Me. 

So true contentment is resting and knowing that your life is fully Mine and fully given to obeying Me. No human praise, no human measures really matter. No position that is set by man is important, only being My son or daughter and following Me.  Do you love and obey Me?  Do you live in the fullness of My life in you?

This is freedom, this is victory, this is success! This is the life of My children, wholly Mine, fully given over to being My beacon, My light to all who cross their paths.”

A major step in my journey to true contentment occurred years ago when I left my career in academic science to become a full-time associate pastor in a large church.  This life change really challenged my self-worth.  Initially I felt inadequate because I was the only staff pastor who did not attend Bible school, and I was often not respected because I was the “old guy” on staff. I didn’t have the credentials or fit the mold.

Through this I learned to depend on the Lord for help and affirmation. My Bible training came in the school of the Holy Spirit (I’m still attending). By spending considerable time with the Lord and diving into ministry I learned to pastor and care, how to teach Bible truths, to minister and help change people’s hearts.  Most importantly, the more I gave myself to Him and to helping others grow, the better I felt about myself. Jesus taught me where to find my true value as I did what He called me to do.

If you can relate, please share your story–I would love to hear your comments and experiences.  It will be helpful for all of us to hear.

If this post has been helpful to you, please share it with your friends. Please subscribe if you want to receive these posts automatically in your email.