Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 4:16-20
Remember that the Lord rescued you … to become his own people and special possession; that is what you are today. Deuteronomy 4:20
No sooner had Samantha jumped into the beautician’s chair than she started to rattle off all the wonders she wanted worked upon her appearance—eyebrows raised, ears shrunk, teeth whitened, slouch straightened. When Samantha inhaled before naming more imperfections she wanted fixed, her beautician jumped in to set the record straight. “Look, girl,” she said, “there’s three things you gotta know. Betty only works from the neck up. Betty only does hair and makeup. And Betty is a beautician—not a magician.”
You don’t have to pluck your eyebrows or lop off the point at the top of your ears to accomplish the most important change you could ever make to yourself—because the biggest change you could ever do to you is to realize your true identity as God’s wildly loved, highly valued child.
God isn’t a beautician—he’s more concerned with our inside thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes than our outside looks. He isn’t a magician—he doesn’t snap his fingers and make everything instantly better. His wiser way is to change us little by little.
And here’s a big hint at where he wants to work in you. Talk about this: Of the following three statements, which is toughest for you to accept?
(a) I am lovable. God loves me just as I am and wants me for his child.
(b) I am valuable. God would have sent Jesus to die for me even if I were the only person on earth.
(c) I am useful. God trusts me to reach out and help others see who he is.
Maybe you can say each of those truths with a smile brought on by the knowledge that God loves you so intensely. But if you’re like most Christians, you maybe choke a bit when you try to say one or more of those statements.
Your feelings about those facts probably hint at the area where God wants to rearrange your thinking first—to work a major change that helps you see yourself as his truly beloved son or daughter.
Whatever your need, God wants to meet it. He wants you to know the truth about you: You are lovable . . . You are valuable … You are useful. God says so!
TALK: Why do you think we sometimes have a tough time believing the good things God says about us? How are you letting God remake how you see yourself?
PRAY: Talk to God about the area where you would most like to grow in understanding his view of you. Tell him if you need to feel lovable, valuable, or useful.
ACT: Ask a family member to remind you of your toughest-to-believe truth once a day for the next week.
