Be Who God Called You To Be

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)

The distinction between humility and humiliation is subtle and yet, massive. Humility is recognizing our unique place in the universe. Humiliation believes we have little place in our immediate surroundings. Humiliation, and its cousin shame, do not have a place in the Christian faith. Even at our most sinful, God does not desire our humiliation. God’s desire is for our growth so that we can fulfill our divine calling. To keep our self-worth from deteriorating, the Scriptures remind us that God uniquely makes us for a purpose. Even if our role is to suffer in this life, our human dignity is vital to fulfilling our call.

You are not immediately arrogant if you think of yourself as unique. God made each of us uniquely blessed. Even identical twins have distinctive natures. Each person must embrace distinctiveness to claim their special place in God’s plan for the new heaven and the new earth. When people deny their value and live lesser lives, they diminish God’s plan. Therefore, each of us is valued and valuable to God’s mission of love and compassion.

To become our best selves, sometimes we are called to remain distinctive, even when others find our decisions arrogant. One can be humble and driven to succeed. Arrogance or humility is often a distinction based on motivation. If our motivation is self-aggrandizement, then arrogance is the motivating factor. When our motivation is to excel so our lives can make a difference for God and others, humility remains intact. Strive to be your best self, for God’s sake, and to make the most of the life God has given you.

Today, think about different stages in your life. What motivated you at each step in your development? You would not be human if there weren’t moments when you acted out of arrogance or shame. Many psychologists believe arrogance and shame are intimately connected. Then, ponder moments when humble confidence was your motivation. Ask what gave you the self-worth to value yourself. Finally, pray for God to heal any humiliation and shame, so you can step up and fulfill your divine purpose.