The second “S” in our faith sharing schema stands for self as in “We have a Self Problem.” This speaks to our need for identity and purpose – who am I and why am I here? We want to be known and we want to have value, intrinsic needs that are built into all of us. To travel through life in anonymity and without meaning in our lives is both tragic and debilitating. Indeed, we have a Self Problem.
You’ve probably guessed already that Jesus is the Self Solution who gives our lives both identity and meaning. We don’t have to travel far into the Bible before we discover the basis for our value. The very first chapter of Genesis, the very first Book of the Bible explains:
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion of the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26-27)
In this Creation Ordinance, we learn that we as men and women are made by God in the very image of God, that we are the highest form of God’s creation, and that we have been given the awesome authority and responsible to be both governor and guardian of the rest of creation.
So far we’ve considered God’s design and calling for all of humanity, but there is an even more specific calling for those of us who commit to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The Apostle John shares amazing news in 1 John as he writes, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are” (1 John 3:1a). How did we become God’s children? The Apostle Paul explains, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love in which he loved us, even when were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5). We are so valuable to God our Father that he pursued us and raised us out of our sin and it’s accompanying death, and adopted us as His spiritual children. Do you see how much you mean to Him?
Speaking further of purpose, Paul declares, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). We are highly valued by God and specifically called by Him according to His plan and purpose.
We have a Self Problem. Indeed, Jesus is the Self Solution.
