You are more than yourself!
Be careful with this expression and understand it wisely!
On the one hand, we have a negative selfishness, over-estimate ourselves, consider our own interests first. Then we need to call ourselves to humility and remind ourselves that we are servants and give our lives for others.
On the other hand, especially as we try to follow the path of faith, we tend to condemn ourselves, we self-torture seeing how insufficient, weak and sinful we are, unable to fulfill the high standard our Lord Jesus Christ is displaying through his great life, death and resurrection.
We might want to give up…
Especially in the second case, when we consider ourselves worthless, it is healthy to view ourselves with God’s eyes, who sees much more in us than the weak and insufficient sinner.
First, God does not look at our past – Christ has died for our past sins, we are forgiven, have received a new life, have become a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). God does not even look that much on our present state, rather, he sees our future, the great calling he gave us to fulfill, the great works he has prepared for us, the bright kingdom that is waiting for us.
Even more than our personal anticipated development and glorification, God sees numerous people of present and future generations he wishes to bless through us. Yes, there are people waiting to receive the blessing through us.
Really?
Yes, this promise was given already to Abraham: “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed“ (Ge 12:3).
We, as believers of Christ, have inherited this promise given to Abraham (Ro 4; Gal 3).
God wants to bless people through us – reason enough not to give up, even if I see my shabby current image. Rather, I should strive to purify myself daily so that the blessing can flow through me without hindrance and make many people happy.
Not only we are heirs of the promise given to Abraham – as Christians, we also bear the image of Christ within us.
And who was Christ?
According to Ro 5, we all became sinners destined to die through the sin of Adam. And we gained forgiveness, righteousness and eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Yes, Christ was only one man, but through his individual, unique act of righteousness, all people received justification and life (Ro 5:18), through the personal “obedience of one man [Jesus] the many will be made righteous“ (Ro 5:19).
We find the good and the bad example explained in Ro 5. Through Adam’s disbelief, all people died, and through Jesus’ obedience and righteousness, all gained forgiveness and life.
Now we are called to follow Christ, and we have already received him in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. We bear the image of Christ within us. Even though we recognize our flaws and weaknesses, this great and holy image of the son of God is there, right within us.
Sharing his image we also share his commission. As he was the good representative who brought forgiveness and life for everyone, God also wants to share his grace and blessings through each one of us to many.
In this aspect – you are much more than yourself!
You bear the image, commission and blessing of Jesus Christ. And God wants to use you and me as source and channel of his living water, of his blessings and immeasurable grace, to bring life and blessings to numerous people.
Next time when you tend to condemn and look down on yourself – remember that there is the image and commission of Christ in you, and ask God to use you today as source of blessing for many.
