If there is one thing I have learned in this life about my gender, it is that we want to feel valued, loved, and cherished.
Value. What if it wasn't measured by how others perceive us? What if it wasn't about how talented we were at our professed passion, whether or not we had a good man (or any man at all), or our self summed up scale of beauty?
If I was being stark honest, it's my own struggle to find value that has lead me to write. And somehow, I know I'm not the only one. The trouble is we are trying to find value in things and in people - but these measurements always fall short.
The very very beautiful thing is that no one can appraise our value, not even ourselves. Would you believe me if I told you that your value can't change based off the listing above and that it can't be evaluated on a scale? Measurements pertain to limits, but your value is limitless.
Value, in business terms, is determined by demand. So, what if we as fragile female creatures don't feel like we are in high demand...or in any demand at all? That we are useless, incapable, undesirable, and unnoticeable. But did you know that there is such a high demand for you that Jesus died so that He could intimately know, love, and cherish that beautiful soul of yours? And that because He did this, we are now able to shed our failures and fears and become new creations in Christ? Oh yes, heaven has a high demand for you. You were bought, purchased, at the highest cost, and you are not up for the bargain.
What we need to come to realize is that God has put a price tag on you!
The very very beautiful thing is that no one can appraise our value, not even ourselves. Would you believe me if I told you that your value can't change based off the listing above and that it can't be evaluated on a scale? Measurements pertain to limits, but your value is limitless.
Value, in business terms, is determined by demand. So, what if we as fragile female creatures don't feel like we are in high demand...or in any demand at all? That we are useless, incapable, undesirable, and unnoticeable. But did you know that there is such a high demand for you that Jesus died so that He could intimately know, love, and cherish that beautiful soul of yours? And that because He did this, we are now able to shed our failures and fears and become new creations in Christ? Oh yes, heaven has a high demand for you. You were bought, purchased, at the highest cost, and you are not up for the bargain.
What we need to come to realize is that God has put a price tag on you!
It reads: immeasurable. exquisite. chosen. priceless. worthy. redeemed. loved. free. child. daughter. beloved. beautiful.
Ladies, you are prized at the highest of worth, far too costly for God to let go. Every spec of unlovely, hint of shame, or singe of pain has been redeemed so that no one can sum up your value but He - because He became sin, ugliness, chagrin, insecurity, and fear when He gave His life for yours on the cross.
Now that we've captured our limitless value, I want to pose a question I often ask myself: are you stripping value from people or are you bringing value to people in the way you engage or don't engage them? Are you a value giver or a value stripper? What if we treated others as if we had the lens of Christ, seeing them for their true value of worth?
So how can we live in such a way that celebrates others? A few ways in which I feel God is teaching me is to listen intently, speak truth, encourage one another in love, rejoice in the dreams of others, and be attentive to those God puts in our path. If this lifestyle is as challenging for you as it is for me (especially when it comes to those test-ies), ask the Holy Spirit to help you in this way and watch how the fruits of the Spirt seep into the way you love others.
All my love,
-BJM
All my love,
-BJM
Brianna,
ReplyDeleteThis blog is brilliant. It is a constant reminder to males/females are accepted by our Lord Jesus. We do not have to live up to mans expectations, we only have to live up to God's expectations as we seek to please Him. I am so grateful for you! I love to see your heart for others who are in the same struggle as you because you are able to understand their pain, and you want individuals to know, Jesus can overcome all of the struggles we face as human beings!