The lectionary is taking us through Hebrews, which can make one’s head hurt. The way in which things are bought together in this book require thinking. So, we need some eye candy: I have not put photos up for the last few days, but since I was in Auckland, something nice.

For today we are going to see where real esteem comes from: it comes from our status as children of God, as brothers and sisters in Christ. It has nothing to do with self esteem, and less to do with what we have earned, and even less with how we feel.

Hebrews 2:11-18

¹¹For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, ¹²saying,

“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.” ¹³And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Here am I and the children whom God has given me.”

¹⁴Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. ¹⁶For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. ¹⁷Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

One can link this back to the creeds. Christ is truly human: he suffered in all ways like we did. That includes the temptations of this life: indeed he had both the strong ones (do not tell me that some women (and men) did not desire to sleep with him. I will go into the corner and roll around the floor clutching my sides) to the subtle perversions of power.

He is able to help us when we are tempted, because when our eyes are on him temptation falls away. You are not tempted to have twinkies during praise and worship. Outside the sanctuary, however, lurketh that temptation. (And our churches are bad here. Really bad. Sugary, cinnabon like stodge served with (bad) coffee as ‘fellowship’).

For our esteem is only found in the contemplation of Christ. If we are honest, we are not worthy of any praise or contemplation. Instead, we are evildoers, broken, wasting our talents, indulging our vices, and woolly thinkers.

Now self esteem is, in the end, self worship. It is a form of idolatory. It forgets that this world is fallen, and pain will come. People who fall into the worship of self esteem often hold tightly to their pain and hurts, for it gives the modern sainthood — that of being a victim — and in their angry renouncement of God, act as examples. Reliable ones, of what not to do.

It is an honor to you, SSM, that people comment on your site with stories of their pain and suffering that has justified (to them) their feminism and their having turned from God. What a blessing to know what very well could have been your path had you not chosen forgiveness and grace for your husband through your faith in God, receiving strength from Him to do so. In stead of being a raging fool whose very soul is now in danger (from a public confession of renouncing her faith), you are light to not only your children, but to many women who will learn from you, as well as a blessing to your father in law, a relationship that would not be had you chosen the path of the enemy.

Let them tell their stories, their awful, miserable, sufferings that “prove” one should not marry, or one should not believe. There is always another testimony of someone in that very circumstance who came to understand life is not about our happiness and comfort, it is about our obedience, perseverance, and faith. But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Romans 9:20

We are saved by the mercy of God. Our esteem comes from our worth, and that is entirely the work of Christ. It is not anything we can boast about. Self esteem is a delusion at best, idolatry at worst. Far, far better to look to Christ, and ignore those who measure our worth by that broken, solipsist, metric.

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Chris Gale