Broken Self-Worth
What Others Say – Part 1

Scripture Reading: Galatians 2:11-16

Key Verse: Galatians 2:12

Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.

When I read this passage of scripture, I can’t help but think about what Peter and the others were thinking.  They obviously cared about what the Jewish leadership thought about them and their behavior around the Gentiles.  Peter was enjoying the fellowship with the Gentiles, eating the food that they had prepared for the event but, when the Jewish leadership showed up, he withdrew—reverting back to the Jewish rules of what foods a Jew could eat.  It is obvious that Peter wasn’t afraid for his life, but his reputation.  At its deepest core, this story reveals the source of Peter’s self-worth, or lack of.  At this moment anyway, his self-worth was coming from people around him.

That is a dangerous place to get our self-worth.  Have you ever considered the source of your self-worth?  I have, and at times far too much of it comes from people.  When I catch that, I focus my mind back to the only safe place to gain self-worth: God Himself.  It’s not that God doesn’t use people to encourage us—He does.  But those moments are for just that: encouragement, not our foundational worth!  Our Father in heaven created us to find our source for all life in Him!  He wants to be the provider of all good things, which includes our sense of self-worth.  People will both help us and hurt us, but God is our constant in maintaining positive self-worth.

Father, I want to care more about what you think of me than what others think of me.  Help me to see your great love for me.  In Jesus’ name, amen.