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The value a human places on himself is intrinsically linked to his understanding of his worth. Our value is limited by our knowledge and acceptance of how God sees us and the value he places on us. A sense of worth linked to others, things, or prestige is subject to crisis when those unstable foundations are shaken.
However, when worth comes from an insight into one's being beyond that which can be shaken, it becomes unshakable. The Bible records that the Messiah Jesus came into the world not to condemn it (for it is condemned already) but to save it.
It gives assurance of worth beyond the natural.
''For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:17
Rescuing the world involves more than just freeing it from spiritual demise, ruin, and the malevolent deeds of the enemy (i.e. the devil. Ref: 1 John 3:8) but restoring it to the esteemed position that God originally intended.
According to the Torah i.e the Old Testament half of most Christian Bibles, the value of the human God created is intrinsically tied to Genesis 1:27, As rendered in the Contemporary English Version (CJB) this reads:
" So God created humans to be like himself; he made men and women."
In another Expanded translation,
"So God created ·human beings [ man; the Hebrew adam can mean human beings, humankind, person, man, or the proper name Adam] in his image [ reflecting God’s nature/character and representing him in the world]. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female."
Humans were made to reflect YHWH in nature and character and to represent him in the world. This position of being modelled after the creator of all things, with his nature of selfless love, is the identity and value of Humans.
It is vital for leaders to understand this first. A leader must know and see himself from this perspective to lift others to that place. It is difficult to take people to places we have not been, and neither can we give what we do not have.
Viewing oneself from a divine standpoint allows one to perceive life's forces as being within control. According to God, humans are not bound by earthly limitations since their life force originates from YHWH (Genesis 2:7), providing vitality to the body and senses. As a result, individuals should be guided by their Spirit (life force) rather than by their physical body, its urges, surroundings, or any external influences apart from God.
Paul said in Romans 8: 12 - 14
"Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God."
Jesus sacrificed himself and rose from death to ensure we are: Sons of God who are directed by the spirit of God in the inner parts and not by the outward body impulses.
This is the Higher Life.
There are two opposing cultures the adversary enshrined and Jesus came to destroy:
A culture of hypocrisy and condemnation
A culture of sin i.e living for the gratification of the body
As Paul said in Romans 8:1 -2:
"1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death."
In light of this, how do we address circumstances around us that oppose what Jesus came to restore humans to?
Jesus' actions towards the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8) show us how.
2 At dawn, he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”
On closer inspection of that passage, is it not strange a woman was caught in adultery all by herself? Doesn't it take two? I should think it takes two to be engaged in sexual intercourse. When you read further, you will notice Jesus at first ignored them, before he replied. Verse 7 - 8:
"When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground."
Jesus called out their hypocrisy and double standards. They could not condemn her because they were no better than her.
Verse 9 reads: "At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there."
After the self-realisation hit home and they left, Jesus addressed the woman:
In verse 10, Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11a “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. ""
The only one who could condemn her (because he was sinless)did not. Why? because that was not his mission or purpose. However, he went beyond not condemning her to doing what he actually came for—empowering her and making her know she can live beyond gratifying the impulses of her body. She can leave her life of sin. She can rule her body.
11b “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
This is the way. This is the Truth, and this is how we give Life. As Jesus continued to say to those people in attendance in verse 12: "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Restore Man to his intrinsic worth in God irrespective of where or which estate he is in when you find him. Lift men to walk in the Light Jesus gives.
Other Bible References:
"The person who keeps on sinning is from the Adversary, because from the very beginning the Adversary has kept on sinning. It was for this very reason that the Son of God appeared, to destroy these doings of the Adversary." 1 John 3:8
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house." Matthew 5:14-15
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