Counterfeit forms of worth
A couple semesters ago, I had a teacher bring up the idea of counterfeit forms of worth. These are items/standard/expectations/basically anything that we base our worth as a human being on.
We discussed a few different things we place our value on. I've since noticed more forms of counterfeit worth, all of which I have held at least for a time. We can place our value on physical items, such as how much money we have or make, the grades we receive, our style, our home, and our beauty. We can also put our worth on how many friends or followers we have, how many likes we get, or how many compliments we receive. We can also place our worth on the quality of our relationships. On how hard we work or how talented we are. Or, in my case, how perfectly I hold up to the harsh standards I set up for myself.
Thinking of all of these makes me feel like I'm clawing my way desperately to the top, unable to distinguish myself amidst all the clutter, and certainly unable to surface. Am I keeping up with social media? Do I still have that grade? I can't believe I said that embarrassingc, judgemental thing. Maybe they will never want to talk with me again. Perhaps I should stop. Stop talking, stop trying. It's exhausting.
But when I notice what I'm reaching for and identify that my goals are superficial and unrealistic, I can separate myself from them. But then I'm left with nothing around me. Quiet emptiness fills the space where once unrealistic expectations suffocated me. Without all of that, who am I?
I'm just me.
Let's really think about that. "Just me." Somehow, when I really think about who I am without these other things screaming what my value is (or is not), I'm left balanced. Centered. Light. Free from stress. And then I can see a glimmer of what is inside of me, rather than what was pressing up around me. And inside is beautiful. It's raw. It's light. It's energy. And it comes from my core.
I'm not sure what all is there yet. It will probably take an entire lifetime or longer to understand. But I know it's worth discovering. I think that is one off the things Christ lives and died for. For the real, core of me. He thought I was worth...well, His life. I was worth getting to know. To Him, I am worth understanding. I don't even do that for myself. But He knows my fears, my joys. And He still thought I was worth dying for. And the cool thing is that He also deemed you worth dying for. We were worth the ultimate price to Him and to our Father.
I hope this is as intriguing and enlightening a thought to you as it was and is to me. I often ask "what can I do to find peace?" and I think this is one of the answers. Discover what our value is, and what it is not.
We discussed a few different things we place our value on. I've since noticed more forms of counterfeit worth, all of which I have held at least for a time. We can place our value on physical items, such as how much money we have or make, the grades we receive, our style, our home, and our beauty. We can also put our worth on how many friends or followers we have, how many likes we get, or how many compliments we receive. We can also place our worth on the quality of our relationships. On how hard we work or how talented we are. Or, in my case, how perfectly I hold up to the harsh standards I set up for myself.
Thinking of all of these makes me feel like I'm clawing my way desperately to the top, unable to distinguish myself amidst all the clutter, and certainly unable to surface. Am I keeping up with social media? Do I still have that grade? I can't believe I said that embarrassingc, judgemental thing. Maybe they will never want to talk with me again. Perhaps I should stop. Stop talking, stop trying. It's exhausting.
But when I notice what I'm reaching for and identify that my goals are superficial and unrealistic, I can separate myself from them. But then I'm left with nothing around me. Quiet emptiness fills the space where once unrealistic expectations suffocated me. Without all of that, who am I?
I'm just me.
Let's really think about that. "Just me." Somehow, when I really think about who I am without these other things screaming what my value is (or is not), I'm left balanced. Centered. Light. Free from stress. And then I can see a glimmer of what is inside of me, rather than what was pressing up around me. And inside is beautiful. It's raw. It's light. It's energy. And it comes from my core.
I'm not sure what all is there yet. It will probably take an entire lifetime or longer to understand. But I know it's worth discovering. I think that is one off the things Christ lives and died for. For the real, core of me. He thought I was worth...well, His life. I was worth getting to know. To Him, I am worth understanding. I don't even do that for myself. But He knows my fears, my joys. And He still thought I was worth dying for. And the cool thing is that He also deemed you worth dying for. We were worth the ultimate price to Him and to our Father.
I hope this is as intriguing and enlightening a thought to you as it was and is to me. I often ask "what can I do to find peace?" and I think this is one of the answers. Discover what our value is, and what it is not.
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