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 The Tyranny of Insignificance

Luke 12:6-7 (ASV)
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pence? and not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God.
7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

In Scotland we have a phrase ” He’s not worth tuppence.” Tuppence meaning two penny’s. It does not get cheaper than that. Maybe my American friends would say “I wouldn’t give you a dime for him.” Whatever phrase you know or use, the meaning is clear, somebody or something is worthless. For a Christian to use this phrase would be tragic. This phrase or these phrases are anti-Christ. To believe yourself or someone else to be worthless is to not understand the most basic principal of Christianity which is Joh 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Can I just say to you today, “You are the world.” You are the “whoever.” If you are a Christian then you are the world that has believed and will not perish. If you are not a Christian, you are simply on the wrong side of trusting Him with your life. Whatever side of the equation you fall on, the one truth is certain, God loved you so much that He gave His Son to die for you on the cross. He allowed His Son to be tortured and killed for you, He allowed His Son to take on all the sins of the world, and be separated from Him, if only for a moment, experienced hell for you, in your place, He allowed all of that. He did not allow it because you are insignificant. He did not allow it because He did not have a plan for your life, He did not allow it just so that you could simply exist from one day to another, He allowed it because you are His own special creation.

When I first came to the Lord we lived in a condo on the ground floor. We had a small walled patio and every day I would feed the sparrows. I loved those little guys. Sometime the Holy Spirit would move on me and speak into my heart as I fed them. A warmth would flow throughout my being as I realized how much the Lord loved me. If I loved these little sparrows and enjoyed feeding them, oh how much more significant was I that the Lord would enjoy taking care of me? If there are billions of sparrows in the world and not one of them drops to the ground without our God knowing it, then surely He knows you ? Isa 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold, who has created these, who brings out their host by number? He calls them all by names by the greatness of His might, for He is strong in power; not one is lacking. “ If there are countless trillions of stars in all of the universes and He calls them all by name, think about that, He placed them there and calls them all by name, then He surely knows you?

If you are known personally by God, If He knows every hair of your head, then how is it that you could ever imagine yourself insignificant? Is that not a lie from the pits of hell? How much evil and mischief has the enemy of your soul been able to achieve by simply convincing you that you have no worth and are insignificant? How many men and woman have committed adultery because of this? How many arguments between a man and wife have occurred because of the tyranny of perceived insignificance and one does not feel “worth,” within the marriage? Sibling rivalry that can last a lifetime because one feels less worth than the other. And the ultimate tragedy, how many suicides have occurred because of this feeling , this lie,this lack of worth?

I know from personal experience how this feeling of insignificance and lack of worth can shape and destroy lives. I grew up with a father that did not like me. As a child I only ever heard him call me “idiot.” No matter what I did it was not good enough. I was berated at every turn and wilted under the onslaught. I first thought about suicide when I was twelve. Of course the truth is my father felt even more insignificant than me. In order for people who have these feelings to have any source of comfort, they must put others down . By putting others down, beneath them, they “elevate,” themselves. Its the source of all bullies. It happens in various degrees in almost every part of society. There is a pecking order, and everybody must find his or her “place.” We see it in the chicken coup, and it is vicious, we also see it in life and it is no less vicious. Oh how this one issue has poured forth its vile lies and created alcoholics and drug addicts or just simply robbed the joy and the peace and contentment from countless millions of people around the world in every country and in every society and in every class. It is an evil that has no boundaries, only degrees.

Sadly, I have found it to be just as prevalent within the “church.” This is an absolute tragedy. Here we stand in the light of the truth, here we possess the antidote to one of the vilest diseases that has afflicted mankind, and so many of us continue to suffer from this disease of the soul. Now I can understand why a Christian would struggle to deal with how others perceive them. I do not agree with it and think this is the source of much shallowness and lack of transparency, but what I cannot understand and believe to be one of the greatest dangers to the walk of all Christians , is how they feel insignificant in regard to how God feels about them. If you do not understand your worth, if you do not recognize the deepest truths of Calvary, then you are like one blowing in the wind, being tossed about by every wind of doctrine and falling prey to every peddler who has a “word.” I actually feel nauseated sometimes when I see Christians strain forward and try and catch the eye of the latest “prophet,” that comes to town, desperately wanting a “word,” from God so that they can somehow feel significant.

Please do not get me wrong, I am not talking about new Christians who are still being fed milk by the Lord and learning the elementary precepts of who we are as Christians, I am talking about saints who have been on the road for many years. It is tragic that they have not learned this, the most basic and foundational part of their Christianity.
1Co 3:1 And I, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual ones, but as to fleshly, as to babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk and not with solid food, for you were not yet able to bear it; nor are you able even now.

Here Paul blames the Corinthians for their own lack of progress. Listen to what Matthew Henry says about this particular passage….”They were so far from forming their maxims and measures upon the ground of divine revelation, and entering into the spirit of the gospel, that is was but too evident they were much under the command of carnal and corrupt affections. They were still mere babes in Christ. They had received some of the first principles of Christianity, but had not grown up to maturity of understanding in them, or of faith and holiness; and yet it is plain, from several passages in this epistle, that the Corinthians were very proud of their wisdom and knowledge. Note, It is but too common for persons of very moderate knowledge and understanding to have a great measure of self-conceit. The apostle assigns their little proficiency in the knowledge of Christianity as a reason why he had communicated no more of the deep things of it to them. They could not bear such food, they needed to be fed with milk, not with meat.”

And as it is with all things, it is divine revelation that will bring you to a proper understanding of Calvary. You can read the Gospel accounts of Calvary a thousand times and you will understand it in your head, but if it never gets into your heart, the place of damage, you will remain babes in Christ. Cry out to the Lord to give you a divine revelation of Calvary, of what it Cost Jesus, of what it cost your heavenly Father, and then when that occurs your own self image will improve, not based on humanism or self-esteem, but based on “Christ in you, the hope and glory.” Your worth comes from the fact that he knows you and that He died for you, it comes from nothing else. If you make this the foundation of your life, then you can begin to build something that will stand. He loves you and you are the apple of His eye, you must learn this, experience this and embrace this, when you do, you will begin to break the chains that bind you and become Christ like. It will effect every area of your life, every person in your life and you will begin to change your world.

 2010/7/5 1:00
sojourner7
Member



Joined: 2007/6/27
Posts: 1573
Omaha, NE

 Re: The Tyranny of Insignificance

For the better part of my young life; I
felt so insignificant. That wouldn't
change until I realized GOD deeply cared
and loved me so greatly; HE spared not
His own Beloved Son. And His Son was
willing to lay down His life to convince
me I was someone!! All glory and honor
goes to HIM who found me and claimed me
as His OWN!!


_________________
Martin G. Smith

 2010/7/5 17:30Profile









 Re:

"All glory and honor
goes to HIM who found me and claimed me
as His OWN!!"

Amen!!



 2010/7/5 18:27





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