Self-esteem
«Then God said, let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth» (Genesis I :26).
The first time I (J) * left home to pursue my higher education in the United States of America, in the university community, I met a married couple whom I got acquainted with when they visited Spain. Shortly thereafter, they had to make a long journey abroad, and they invited me to live in their house to keep things in order. They left me a list of easy tasks to do or check regularly. They also allowed me to use their car—which was a luxurious one, by the way— whenever I considered it appropriate. They left me to take care of an expensive estate, filled with valuable belongings. I was overwhelmed by the trust they placed in me. «How can they have such confidence in a stranger?» I kept asking myself. It was an enormous boost to my self-esteem. But it also made me extremely careful with the entrusted tasks; even more than I would have been if the house, car, and other possessions were mine.
The first chapter of the Bible teaches us that at the end of each day of Creation, God saw that everything He created was good. The Creator was satisfied with all His creation: the light, the firmament, the oceans, the land, the grass, the trees, the sun, the stars, the aquatic animals, the birds, and the terrestrial animals. We are also told that God made man in His image according to His likeness. From the creation story, we have two possible sources of self-esteem. The first one is that God created man in His image according to His likeness. God placed in him noble qualities, a complex and balanced intellect, harmonious skills, and traits of kindness in his character. The second source lies in the fact that God gave him «dominion» (power, control, authority) over everything that was created.
We dedicate this month to self-esteem. While it is true that sin stained God’s image in us, relying on our likeness to our Creator is a privilege that should produce a healthy pride and a desire to better serve Him. It is also an honor to be given the authority to manage natural resources. If you are ever tempted to believe you are incompetent, inferior, or worthless, think about your divine origin and the sublime task that God entrusts you with.
God holds you in high esteem. You are of a higher value because Jesus redeemed you to reestablish God’s image in you.
*The personal stories written by Dr. Juliån Melgosa are indicated by a (J).
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Tomado de: Daily Devotions for Junior 2020
“A Cheerful Heart Is Good Medicine”
From: Julian Melgoza-Laura Fidanza
Colaboradores: Ricardo Vela & Emmanuel Tapia
