THE ENEMY OF INFERIORITY
Text: Psalms 139: 13-16
Matthew 10: 29-31
Face inferiorities for what they are; enemies! Inferiority feelings are enemies that hinder increativity. We are made by God to be creative and anything that hinders in that creative process is an enemy. Someone foolishly mistook inferiority with humility. This is a grave mistake, for inferiority is an enemy of creativity, while humility is the source of creativity.
What is humility? Humility is a sane estimate of yourself in the light of God and in the light of other people. Looking at self in the light of God should lead to neither boasting or to despair, but instead of gratitude. “Your dignity arises solely from your relationship to God. How can the child of a King feel inferior? How can a blood-bought sinner be proud?” (The Secret of Radiant Life; Sangster; page 80)
Looking at yourself in the light of others should lead neither to inferiority or to boasting but to humble cooperation. The humble person has a sane estimate of himself and a sane estimate of others. He never considers himself worthless and seldom considers others as geniuses. Rather, he sincerely appreciates others for their person and for their abilities, and truly accepts himself as having real worth. He knows that his abilities and the abilities of others are all God-given. There is no room either for boasting or for despair, but only for joyous cooperation with God and with others as you work together creatively to carry out God’s purpose.
Never admit, even to yourself that you are inferior. For one to say that he is inferior is to tell a lie! God taught Peter, and he would teach us today, to call no man common or unclean. (Acts 10). “When Muretus, the poor scholar, was overtaken by sudden sickness centuries ago in the Low Countries, he was picked up out of the gutter and carried into a hospital. It never crossed the mind of the two young surgeons standing by the table on which he had been laid that this mud-stained, ill-clad boor could understand a word of their conversation, for they were talking in Latin.
The theme of their discussion was a certain dangerous operation which was just being mooted in Europe, and with a sudden inspiration, one of the surgeons nodded toward Muretus and said to his colleague, “Shall we try this experiment on this worthless creature?” But Muretus had understood every word. Who better? Nor did he say, “I am a scholar and a gentleman. You can’t do that to me!” In polished Latin he said to those startled youths: “Will you call that man worthless for whom Christ dies?” That is the ground of our worth; the solid, sufficient and only basis of it. And it is the same for everyone. We were dear enough to have shed the sacred blood”. (The Secret of Radiant Life: Sangster, Page 77)
“Father, help me to see that to call myself inferior is not merely a weakness that causes great damage to myself, but that it is a sin against my Creator. To devalue myself is to devalue the highest product of your creation and the purchase of Christ’s redemption. Help me to accept and to love myself”.
AFFIRATION FOR THE DAY: I am of infinite worth to God. He does not love me “for something”, but for myself alone!
