I am Perfect Enough

To Judge YOU!

What is Self Esteem?

“Self-esteem is a term in psychology used to reflect a person’s overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs (for example, ‘I am competent!’, ‘I am worthy!’)
and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame”

Are you wondering: What does being perfect have to do with self-esteem? It has everything to do with it. First of all, as much as you and I try, we are NEVER going to achieve perfection. That is what makes us so wonderful. That is what God meant for us to achieve. Okay! For those of you out there who have illusions of grandeur that you are perfect: You Are Right!

You are Perfect… with Flaws!

That is right. You are just like everyone else in the world. You are wonderful! You are one of God’s perfect creatures… with flaws. While are made in the image of God, we are not made exactly like God. Our flaws are what make us unique. They don’t make us bad or inferior. They are what separate us from being Barbie and Ken-like figures.

I am Perfect enough to Judge!

Are you really?

My favorite Biblical reference is the second commandment. It is the one that I try to live by.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.
Did you know that is what you are doing when you say that you are perfect and you can judge someone else? We are all guilty of laughing at something that is unique about someone else. But, what happens when you take that individual and dissect every little thing about him/her?

• She is just too fat.
• She is not educated enough.
• She would be nowhere without me because I am better than she is at…
• He will go nowhere because I have to do this for him. He is incapable of doing it on his own.
• He is not capable of thinking on his own.
• He is not mentally (or emotionally).
• He is a waste of a heart and lungs
• He is not worthy of being in my life.

I will grant you that some of our lives are better than others. I agree that you have the right to say, “I would make a different choice if I were in that situation.”

I respect a person who looks at another person’s life and says, “My life choices would be better suited for a different path.”

Where does My Respect End?

Personally, I am a peaceful person. I don’t like confrontation unless I am pushed into a corner. I don’t judge people. Everyone has a different lifestyle and most of them would not suit me but, they may be perfect for another person. I don’t envy what other people have because I came from very meager means (a house with an outhouse toilet, homemade clothing, and no telephone) and I have what I would consider the riches of the world. I don’t believe in gossip. And I would give my last dollar if that dollar could improve your world because I feel that I am blessed and I have the resources to help others.

Where does my respect end? It ends with people who think they are perfect enough to judge others.

• Knowing you self worth does not make you better. It makes you blessed.
• Judging someone’s mistakes instead of offering your wisdom does not show your strength. It shows your superiority complex.
• Attempting to cripple those that are weak, does make you a martyr or a saint. It makes you mean spirited.

 

What is Low Self Esteem?

I could write a book on the definition of low self-esteem. But, I will just describe it for you. You see: I have been there, got the tee shirt. There are days when I find I have slipped on that mantle of low self-esteem and I did not even know that I was wearing it.

What is low self-esteem? Low self-esteem is blaming others for what is wrong in your life, hopping from place to place looking for the satisfaction that you cannot find within yourself, living in the past, and always finding ways to make yourself the victim. And… the best part—the ONE THAT I LOVE THE MOST: hearing what you want people to say versus what they actually said.

People with low self-esteem are often found living in a fantasy because the world that they create is better than the reality they think exists. Usually, the reality is that, in fact, their lives just need a little focus.

Low self-esteem is putting down yourself and making yourself believe that you are not good enough, smart enough, or competent enough. Low self-esteem is putting down others, as well, to boost your feelings of self-worth.

How Do We Combat This Issue?

The next time you find yourself saying:

• I am not good enough!
• I am not smart enough!
• I am not educated enough!
• I am not pretty enough!
• He/she is better than I am.
• I am better than that person.
• I am worth more than that person.
• I am not thin enough!

Look within! Figure out where the low self-esteem message is coming from. Once you look within and figure it out, change the message that you are giving yourself or that you are feeding to others to aid in their demise.

None of us is perfect—no matter how hard someone tries to convince you that he/she is. But we have all been made in God’s image. Genesis 1:27 tells us:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Shouldn’t we all cherish our uniqueness and love others just as they are? After all, we’re all perfect—with flaws!

Just A Thought Thursday!

Cynthia

Resources
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-esteem
Biblical references:
http://www.keyway.ca/htm2003/20030319.htm
http://bible.cc/genesis/1-27.htm