[Tuesday's Devotional] - Self-esteem

Low self-esteem is a major problem in the UK today.  Starting with children who feel they can't match up to the standards of the TV, internet and magazines (where celebrities and models are usually airbrushed or heavily made up to make themselves look presentable).  Our diet of comparative beauty leads many to despair, depression and other symptoms of low self-esteem.  On the other hand, some people have the opposite problem – of too high self-esteem, thinking that they are better or more important than others.

We should remember that we are all made in the image of God, not that we have to conform to some man-made ideal of perfection or beauty or importance.

Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27 [NIV]

Dear Lord, thank you that you made us in your image, even though we are unique creations we all share in the likeness of you.  Help us not to conform to the standards of this world.  Help us to fight the lies that the world would have us believe.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Dave MacLellan