APPRECIATE YOUR WORTH

We are human beings, not doings. Who we are shapes what we do. Our worth transcends our works - Terry Mante

ONE day, Jesus posed a rhetorical question, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” In this question, Jesus juxtaposed the value of one human soul with the whole world. He considers the rich oil fields of the Arabian Peninsula, the pyramids of Egypt, the magnificent Buckingham Palace of England and says that none or the amalgamation of all of these is worth more than any individual. The value of a human being outstrips the value of the entire universe. That is why human trafficking is such a major crime. There is no commensurate medium of exchange for any individual. You are priceless.

If you own everything in the world and lose your sense of identity, no benefit will accrue to you. But if you have a good sense of identity, you can create your own world. Without people, the world is nothing. The world works because people work. The world derives its value from the people who inhabit it. Without the ingenuity of humans, diamond would simply remain a colourless stone. Human intellect makes it valuable by processing and polishing it. Crude oil is a dirty black liquid found under the earth. Yet, it is a major driver of the global economy. Why? The human intellect! All the technology and processes that are adopted to refine oil and generate several hundreds of useful commodities originate from the human brain. Thus you don’t have to evaluate your worth on the basis of your possessions but do so on the basis of your person.

We are human beings, not doings. Who we are shapes what we do. Our worth transcends our works. Our value as human beings does not emanate from the grades we attain in school, the friends we have around us, the positions we attain in society nor the size of our bank account. It is completely wrong for anybody to devalue themselves simply because they have not achieved much. The richest person in the world is not more valuable than the poorest person. The president of a country is not more human than other citizens. We are all humans and each of us has the same intrinsic value as other humans. When you see yourself in terms of who you are rather than what you do, you can appreciate yourself better. After all, is it not because of who you are that you are able to do what you do? Don’t look down on yourself because of what you lack or what you haven’t accomplished. As a person, you are worth more than everything that exists in the world.

Life is not measured by how much you own. Your confidence in life should not be based on your achievements, acquisitions and awards. It should be based on your humanness. Humanity derives value from God who created human beings in His own image. The same God who made human beings also created everything else that exists in the universe. If God made both humans and everything else, then He is definitely greater than all. But then, He imparted His image and likeness into human beings. The other creations of God do not have the benefit of this impartation. This impartation automatically bestows greater value upon every human being above everything else that exists in the world.

When you feel tempted to look down on yourself, remember your intrinsic value. See who you are and deploy yourself accordingly.

© 2011 Terry Mante
PEDNET
Accra, Ghana
http//terrymante.blogspot.com