Friday, September 29, 2006

So, You Say You're A Scumbag?


I believe you.
You say you messed up. You’re no good. You should’ve done better.
I believe you.
You say you always screw everything up?
Ok.
I am not one to offer pretty reassurances to people who tell me they are low-down-no-good dirtballs. This wins me many friends!
I have been following a self-esteem thread here and there in blog world. There is a little bit of an edge to most discussions about self worth. Frankly, I don’t think we really know what to do with the issue.
We want to be humble, honest and sincere so we admit we have low self-esteem.
But sometimes we also want a pat on the back or to be told we’re wonderful and so we admit we have low self-esteem.
We act confidant and tough because we’re afraid someone will notice we have low self-esteem.
We are a collective mess.
Because there is too much self in our esteem.
So if you tell me that you are a scumbag, I will tell you I believe you.
And then I will ask you what makes you a scumbag and why don’t you knock it off?
And then I will ask you if you realize that the only thing that de-scums is us Christ.
And then I will ask you if you have accepted the de-scumming program of salvation?
And then I will ask you if not, why?
And if so, what’s your problem?
We’ve done a lot of the reassurances of Christ’s love for us and God’s counting us worthwhile and that is so true it stuns me on a daily basis. So now I”ll play devil’s advocate.
Sometimes we feel like scum because we are.
What is the true voice in your heart saying. Is there any possibility that you should feel ashamed and incomplete? Is there any chance that “low-self esteem” is actually the Holy Spirit trying to warn us that all is not well with our souls?
When we are not living sacrificially with our only goal to serve Christ, we shouldn’t feel good about ourselves.
Just a few thoughts from a former scumbag.

2 Corinthians 5:172 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

5 comments:

Margie said...

Great post Sara. It's only only by God's grace that we are any good. "being" doesn't mean we're good - no matter what we do or how much we try, we are good through the goodness of God. I think that we need to remember that if we were perfect, then He would not have come down to save us because He wouldn't have needed to. But under His cloak, we are something, we are good, because of Him.

Sincerely,
Former Dirt ball in LP

Becky said...

Wow javanut!!! devil's advocate-HA! you nailed it! we should always be on the watch for that ick side of us. however, if we do, then we are cocky and if we don't then we are unworthy. both lies.
WE can be confident in christ and be unworthy of the gift at the same time in the same sentence or thought.
love you!!!
ps not trying to be cocky, just ready to get on with Christ!

Anonymous said...

its posts like this that remind me why i love you!

tragically,
refuses-to-reassure in taylor

Tonya said...

Right on Sara... Good Job with this.

Signed... Another former Dirt ball!

Deb said...

my dirt is washed away...it's under my feet! ;)

great post!