Life (3): You are worth more than a Trillion Dollars!

The previous articles on ‘Life’ (Part 1 and Part 2), alongside the ‘Owned’ series (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3) have been very popular! I want to continue delving into the human psyche by examining - how having a relationship with God can be fulfilling, even in times of challenge and hard ship. However, before we engage with this topic, I would like to talk about the notion of ‘significance’. As an adult living in a major city, it can be hard to see yourself as a significant human, don’t you think? I am one of millions of people roaming around the busy streets of Sydney. It sometimes feels like I am a little insignificant ant serving the queen. Can you identify with me?

There is a growing epidemic of depression, suicide and self medication (alcohol, drugs etc). As I stated in my previous post (Part 2), the emotional wellbeing of Australians and Americans is under the hammer. I stated that we need to make Jesus the ultimate person in our lives and not other things. Today, I would like to explore a second facet to why we are so down in the dumps - why do we feel like little fish in a great big pond full of whales (significant people).

The source of significance

Let me begin by posing you a question – what makes you a significant human being? In the Western world, capitalism reigns (which I am not against). Our worth is measured by our bank accounts, where we live, what kind of job we have, who our friends are and so on. We conform to these measures by setting up frameworks for building significance in our lives. This is then fed by the media, who preaches to us daily on how we can attain significance and be like the stars. It is one gigantic system that either feeds our pride or leads us into depression.

So what if you fail to meet up to the criteria of significance? This may lead to us questioning our identity and our worth. We are led into a spiral of depression and ultimately, if fully generated, a destructive lifestyle. Not everyone meets this down fall but, according to the statistics (see McGraw-Hill, 2004) we all face emotional turmoil at some point in our lives. Please note, there are obviously more causes of depression then the two that I have covered in my last two posts, but these two causes (possessions and significance) are very significant in most people’s lives.

How can anyone love me, including God?

I want to delve a little deeper now into this notion of significance. Life can feel like a roller coaster ride at times as we work to build significance. According the bible, God created the entire human race in his image (Genesis 1:26-27). Additionally, scripture claims that God has carefully and lovingly knitted you together while you were in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-17; Job 10:11). He loves us above all things that he created. We have all been created to reflect God in his world, which he did because he loves us. God looks down from heaven and counts us all as significant and important. In God’s eyes you are worth more than you can imagine!

Alright, then what has gone wrong? Why are we all looking for significance elsewhere? We all, according to the bible, have chosen to worship other things rather worshipping God (Genesis 3:5-7), which was our initial design. As a result, we forget God and live for ourselves, which leads to us to be driven to find significance in things that aren’t designed to give us this need. We build frameworks to give us security, which feeds our significance:

They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass (Psalm 106:20)

I’m not saying that you have built an ox, but instead we build careers or relationships, which drive our life and give us significance rather than God. Our problem is not that we need more acknowledgements, but rather we need God.

The solution

Let me say, no matter how hard you work, you will never be satisfied with the things that you build, which are there to give you significance. Why? We aren’t programmed to find significance in these areas. Do you feel this in your life, like something is missing? We are all missing a full relationship with God, which can be mended. God who loves you demonstrates his love for you by providing a cure to this problem: God, who is perfect and all powerful, stepped off his throne in heaven and came down as the man Jesus and died on a cross to take away all of your brokenness and rebellion. Jesus came to earth to give us back our significance in this life. You and I are made significant in God, which can be found only in his Son Jesus, who is our Lord and Saviour.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16-17)

If this has impacted you, why not turn to Jesus right now. Acknowledge that you have found significance in things other than Jesus. Ask him to teach you how to live for him. Lay down your life in the hands of Jesus. Only there will you find significance. Life will still have troubles and hard times, but you will now the one true living God, who made you in his image.