Godly esteem ushered in love, respect, humility and honour.
Often self-esteem is discussed from the perspective of the world in which we discover our worth, price and or value as people and we attach or anchor that on the worldly patterns of our worldview.
The self-esteem often emerges from how people feel about themselves and this may come from inner depth of what constitutes our identity. Identity may originate from our childhood and life experiences in general especially how we interpret the meaning of our thoughts, perceptions including depth and the superficial façade of the truth. These constructions include our physical appearance, family background, environmental context, well-being in terms of wealth and health to mention just a few.
But one could ask how come the depth of our esteem is so deep in the core of our being and surely there will be diverse answers to the question but I want to share a perspective often undermined when dealing with transformational change within us. We all have invaluable impressions of our humanness planted in creation that clearly communicate that we all deserve to be worthy. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, it is evident that God has made everything beautiful in its time and that includes you and me. Also, God has put eternity into a man’s heart and that includes you and me, yet so that this same man cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. God loves us so much to make all things beautiful at His own time this thought should plant a good feeling and thought in a man about who he is before the supreme. This good that is placed in all of us is beautiful and has a divine time and another critical mystery is that God has set eternity in the heart of mankind. We may not always comprehend everything because this same supreme God may not even permit us, but we are assured that God planted eternity within us and this reality cannot be ignored for it brings mankind into of a place of supernatural supremacy by faith. We are first connected in love with God but sometimes we move around seemingly appearing disconnected from the higher source of power and this eternity set in our hearts reflects a spiritual presence. God knows that mankind desires, craves and needs to be esteemed by being elevated and or edified and this Godly esteem supersedes worldly esteem. Being able to foundationally position our value in divine presence, means that if our hope in spirit, soul and body is crushed, crumbled and destroyed, then we have a way out to explore by grace which is the supernatural ability of God to work in a man. God has done and is still doing great in us all and we need is to see the good in the light of how God sees His image in us all and our strengthen and all the good planted in us should primarily bring glory and honour to God. In that light, Godly esteem does not exist in fear, inferiority complex, pride, self-exhortation but is ushered more in love, respect, humility and honour. Consequently, edification and compassion will raise the self in the other leading to honest sharing of ourselves as gifts. The good that is planted in spirit and truth in the life of the other brings glorification of godly virtues and pronounces the light of God at work in us as divine purpose and destiny. Galations 5:22 is then fully manifested for the fruits of the spirit will then be realised in our godly character as we operate in the purity of godly love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness. This godly esteem grounds us in relational gentleness, long suffering, self-control, respect and trustworthiness founded in Christ Jesus, the hope of our glory.