The Truth of Who We Are - Part 3...Continued from page 1

Alongside these things, these good things, is the ideal that all value and worth flow from the one whose worth is inexpressible. We must start there. We must start with the knowledge, the heart and head knowledge, that we ARE valuable. No compliment should augment our worth and no criticism should diminish our worth. “I like me.”

If someone tells us we are beautiful or handsome the proper answer is “Yes, I know! He makes all things beautiful.” Try it and let me know how it goes. If their response is shock, simply say “I like me.”

To ask the question, “What is wrong with me?” is to ask the question, “Am I worthy? Is who I am good enough no matter what I may or may not have?” For us to ask these questions is to question the Lord who bought us. To question our worth because we are still single makes our circumstances the measure of our worth?and this can never be.

Your worth is not tied to what you do, or what you have. It is not tied to whom you have?married or single. Your worth, in fact all worth, is imparted by God and cannot be stolen. This means that we need not search for the person who will make us feel worthy and we need not ask the question, “Are we worthy?” We are worthy. As children of God we ARE WORTHY! This is besides the obvious flaws we possess. This is despite our real and ever present need to grow and mature. “I like me.”

The truth is that there IS something wrong with each of us but that may have nothing to do with why we are still single. Say it … “I like me.”

Some will say, “God is perfecting you and when He has prepared you for marriage you will meet someone.” Please! I will never be that righteous. What foolishness to think we deserve the gift of another’s heart. What foolishness to think we can earn the right to be married. What a silly idea that only the righteous get married.

If he did not wait until we were perfect to save us, to give us the life of his Son, he will not dangle love before us and then demand that we first be perfect. I find hopelessness there. Instead I whisper, “I like me.”

Let us press toward perfection but let us turn our face back towards the one great Christian truth?Grace. The deeper truth (something for all to remember) is that marriage may be a functional part OF the perfecting process not the reward FOR perfection. This means that all our lives we are involved in becoming whom He has made us to be, whom he is making us to be. But even IN the process we are already worthy. Even while we wait and hope to be married we are worthy. “I like me.”

This means we strive to be pure, to be holy, to be righteous, but not in order to win a mate. We do these not to find love but because love has found us, taken us in, and called us his own. The truth is that none of us are worthy, not even the happily married. The truth is we are all worthy now that Grace has taken note of our plight. That happened at the cross. To be honest I wouldn’t have it any other way. His blessings, even marriage, flow from His grace and not my works?THANK GOD!!!!!! “I like me.”