Martha Hill Jamison 

Matthew 6:26

“Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

Hebrews 12:2b

“Because of the joy waiting for Him, Jesus endured the cross, scorning its shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Isaiah 43:4b: 

“…you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.”

Reflection:

Many may not remember Stuart Smalley’s SNL “Daily Affirmation” (or the comedian’s name). His signature line, spoken while looking in the mirror, was “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!” At the height of Stuart’s popularity, I was a newly-single mom who had moved to Houston and needed a job. I wasn’t feeling particularly good, smart, or liked. You see, I am an Enneagram Three.

For those who may not know, the Enneagram is a system of classifying personality types focused on one’s core fears and motivations. A Three, the Achiever, is ambitious and competent; her biggest fear is failure; she is motivated by shame. Following my divorce, I was sitting in my biggest fear and paralyzed by shame. But, as an Enneagram Three, I hid my insecurity, as the need to be seen by others as successful was more important.

And, somehow, the Bible verse that kept ringing in my ears was Mathew 5:48: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” I could barely get out of bed. How was I going to make it to perfect? How would I survive the shame?

What wrong-headed faith! God is not expecting me to be perfect and is not surprised that I am flawed. Indeed, our brokenness is the reason Jesus came.

Jesus knows shame. On the day of his crucifixion. His public humiliation. His pain. Stripped and hoisted up on the cross for all to see. Yet, he was not paralyzed. Hebrews says Jesus “scorned” the shame of his crucifixion. Instead, he turned his eyes to the loving gaze of his Father. Just as, in the midst of our pain, we can turn our attention to the loving gaze of our Father, who sees us just as we are and is pleased.

I am so grateful for our God. I never need to doubt God’s love. With God’s help, I am letting go of the shame and lies I have carried. I am so grateful that God plainly tells me, “You are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.”  

        

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus assures us that we already are good enough, whether we achieve earthly accolades or not. We are created in God’s image; we are part of God’s flock, and God cares about us. Just as we are. Doggone it!

Prayer: 

Dear God. Thank you for seeing me as I am and loving me, even in my brokenness. Amen.