Your true value and worth come from God, not from your appearance, accomplishments, or social status. In Philippians 3, Paul admits that he once found his worth in his religious résumé. But after he met Jesus, he counted all of it as garbage compared to knowing Christ. A Jesus-centered life means letting God, not culture, define who you are.
The Voices Telling You What You’re Worth
So far in this series, we’ve learned that a Jesus-centered life is about knowing Jesus (Lesson 1) and following his example of humility (Lesson 2). Now Paul addresses where our value comes from.
Women especially feel pressure to measure up. Culture says your worth comes from things like:
- Your outward appearance
- Your social status
- Your job or salary
- Your social media presence
We spend enormous time and money trying to live up to images we see online and in magazines. We exhaust ourselves trying to prove we’re good enough, smart enough, or valuable enough. So it’s worth asking: what voices are you listening to about your value?
Paul’s Impressive Résumé
Paul once found his identity in his accomplishments and religious pedigree. By the standards of his day, he had it all.
Philippians 3:4-6 If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
Paul also had to confront false teachers in Philippi. A group sometimes called the Judaizers taught that Gentile believers had to become Jewish to be accepted by God (Philippians 3:2-3). That message made Gentile Christians feel like second-class outsiders. Paul fought hard against it, because it replaced the finished work of Jesus with human effort.
We can fall into the same trap today. It’s tempting to think we have to earn God’s love by being good enough. But that’s not the gospel.
Everything Else Is Garbage
Paul came to see his old résumé in a whole new light.
Philippians 3:7-9 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
Paul didn’t gain right standing with God through his accomplishments. He received it as a gift through faith in Jesus. The same is true for us. Your worth isn’t something you earn. It’s something God gives.
Let God Define Your Worth
God created you with care and purpose.
Psalm 139:13-14 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
He has given you unique qualities and abilities to fulfill the plan he has for you. And if you belong to Jesus, God has made you new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
When the world tells you that you don’t measure up, go back to God’s Word and remember what he says about you. Throw out the garbage and replace it with his truth. For more on this, read Where Do You Find Your Identity?
The Takeaway
Culture says your worth comes from appearance, status, and success. Paul once believed something similar, but he counted it all as garbage compared to knowing Jesus. Your value comes from God, who created you with purpose and makes you new in Christ. Let him have the final word on who you are.
