“What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.” Psalm 8:4-5 NIV
“Hey, daddy’s special girl! Daddy loves you. You can do anything you want.” These are the words my coworker said to his daughters as he wished them good night from afar via telephone. Overhearing these words, I had two thoughts “wow, that’s so awesome he affirms his children like that.” and “Oh snap! This is what God thinks of us!”
No matter what your earthly father may have done or not done, as a child of God, you are the apple of His eye. Life has a way of distorting the reality of who we are in Christ and the way our Heavenly Father views us. Those trials that harden our hearts, those losses that make us guarded or revere the things on this earth as opposed to things eternal, abuse, trauma, discrimination, abandonment, and the list goes on and on, all can distort reality.
The good news is while our life experiences may shape us, they do not define us. God’s Word is the authority on who we are, not the circumstances of life. In today’s text, the Psalmist notes that when it comes to humans, God cares for us and "crowned us [them] with glory and honor." (Psalm 8:4-5) I think God knew that we might forget our identity because there are so many Bible passages and reminders to encourage us and remind us of who He says we are. And to be honest, what He says is the only thing that matters:
In His Image (Genesis 1:27): The next time you look in the mirror and have something negative to say or wish that something were different, remind yourself that you are “created in the image of God.” Psalm 139 even goes further to say that you are “fearfully and wonderfully” made.
Valuable (Luke 12:6-7): There are moments in life when we might determine our worth based on earthly standards including comparison to others. God reminds us that He accounts for every sparrow and we’re more valuable to Him than a sparrow so there’s no need to fear or doubt our worth.
Cared For (Matthew 6:25-34): Got worry? Do it no more! In this passage, we are reminded that God will provide for every need when the time comes so there’s no need to fret or be preoccupied with the future. The Lord’s prayer says “give us our daily bread” for a reason, so we can focus on today and trust that whatever comes our way, the Lord will provide. (Matthew 6:11)
Royalty (Peter 2:9, Romans 8:17): If you’ve ever had a season in life where you felt like an unworthy peasant or pauper, I have good news for you, through Christ you are royalty. Believers are often referred to as co-heirs with Christ. Psalm 50 outlines all that God owns and has dominion over (here’s a clue y’all, it’s everything!) and because we are the children of God, we have access to not just His riches, but also His lineage. Don’t let the world make you forget Whose you are. It’s one of the enemy’s greatest tricks to get us out of position.
Victorious (Romans 8:37): As children of God, we’re bound to win. No matter what any situation may look like now, no matter how bleak things may seem or feel, God promises His children that we will win and come out better than how we started.
Light (Matthew 5:14): Too often, people want us to shine less brightly in order to make them comfortable. The Bible records that we are "the light of the world" and cannot be hidden. Don’t dim your light because people perceive you as a threat.
Powerful (Philippians 4:13): With Christ, nothing is impossible. The beauty of this verse is that it keeps us in our rightful position. It’s not because of who we are that we can do all things, but because of who He is. This is why our elders told us to be careful about the company we keep. Association matters. Our connection to Christ gives us the power to do all things, and as long as we depend on Him humbly, and keep Him first daily, nothing can stop us.
There’s a phrase in the vernacular to “dab on them haters.” It essentially means to exude confidence and not let folks who try to take you down or steal your joy succeed in their evil plots. God does not get any glory when we walk through life defeated. Let these verses give you the confidence and swag boost you need to walk through each and every day believing and living out what God says about you!
Reflection
What lies have I been believing about myself? What Bible verses can reaffirm what Christ says about me? How can I let His view of me be the only view I internalize?
Prayer
Lord, thank you for loving me. Forgive me for not owning who You say I am. Help me to believe that Your words about me are the only ones that matter. Give me the grace and wisdom to live each day for Your glory and in accordance with Your will. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Photo by abhishek gaurav on Unsplash
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