Self-worth - New Evangelizers

Now remember what you were, my friends, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing. 1 Corinthians 1:26

God has a knack for picking ambassadors who aren’t significant from the world’s point of view. He often works through the weak and humble, the ones who tend to be over-looked. Jesus himself is “the stone the builders rejected as worthless.”

Worldly success—whatever that might mean—is not one of God’s criteria. Think of David, the shepherd boy who killed a giant with a sling and eventually became king. Or Peter, the uneducated fisherman Jesus chose to lead his church. St. Francis of Assisi was born into wealth, but didn’t become useful to God or others until he abandoned his social rank. And who would have thought a wizened little religious sister from an obscure town in Macedonia could impact the world the way Mother Teresa has?

What about us? Not wise? Or influential? Not on any Top Ten lists? That’s okay. God made us the precious, irreplaceable individuals we are for a reason. He values our uniqueness and calls us to be who we are. If we surrender to God’s plan for our lives, who knows how useful we might be? It’s safe to trust his design.

Prayer: My Creator, who I am to you is who I am.
Reflection: What do you think God values in you?

Copyright 2016, Barbara Hosbach

Barbara Hosbach

Barbara Hosbach, freelance writer, is co-chair of the CJ Chapter of the Catholic Writers Guild and member of the Catholic Press Association. Hosbach’s articles have appeared in a number of Catholic periodicals. Her latest book, Your Faith Has Made You Well: Jesus Heals in the New Testament, explores what happened when Jesus healed and what it means for us today. Your Faith Has Made You Well: Jesus Heals in the New Testament and Fools, Liars, Cheaters, and Other Bible Heroes