Where do you place your worth?
Here is what the world tells you about worth: He who dies with the most toys, wins. Go big or go home. Buy this and it will make you happy, healthy, better, irresistible. You must look, sound, act this way so you will be liked. Followers equals friends. The list endlessly continues…
If you believe these “worldly wisdoms,” you will never reach the tranquility that is transparency because you will never be or have “enough.” Period. There will always be someone with more. There will always be a count or measure of worth in which the numbers never end and you will never reach.
Now, here is what the Bible says about your worth:
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26 NIV).
Need it in modern-day language? Here you go…
“If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds” (Matthew 6:25-26 MSG).
Careless in the care of God. Can you imagine? Being loved and cared for completely, transparently, gracefully, and generously…my sweet friend, that’s EXACTLY where you are right now! The problem is, even for Christians, while we may know this, we do not live like this. We do not allow it to permeate our thoughts, words, actions. We do not place our worth in the care of God. Instead, we let the world wield it’s way within the confines of our hearts and minds, causing us shame. We think we don’t have “enough” and therefore will never be enough. We cover our shame and insecurity masquerading around, looking for the Jones’, attempting to keep up with an ever moving target. How utterly ridiculous is that? What kind of life is that?
When you consider that all the hairs on your head are know and created by God (Luke 12:7), when you realize you were purposefully placed in this exact time and space (Romans 9:717), when you accept the fact that you are very good (Genesis 1:31), then transparency becomes much easier because your worth is in His hands. If we were to measure ourselves using God’s grace, we would realize we are more precious than gold. We could stop the pretenses since there would be no need for them. We could actually be transparent. Clear, without obstruction, permeable, frank.
“Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. Everything is clear and lies open before him.” (Hebrews 4:13 ICB).
Do not be afraid of transparency, my friend. It’s healthy, cathartic, and grace-filled. When you place your trust in Him, you can rely on whom He sends. This earth will never be perfect but know our God always is just that…the perfecter of all. Transparency is shame-free when your worth is viewed through His lens.
So I ask you, where do you place your worth? Is it yielding the return you are investing? Does it provide you peace? Make you feel adequately loved? Are you able to live carelessly in the care of God? This is what transparency brings…living beyond what the world dictates. I invite you to join me on this journey towards tranquility and all the joy it brings, because you are worth it!
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