«Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure 12:3, of faith NIV). God has given you»  (Romans  12:12)

ACCORDING TO MAXWELL MALTZ, «low self-esteem is like driving through life with the handbrake on.» Malcolm S. Forbes, on the other hand, said, «There are too many people who overestimate what they are not and underestimate what they are.» Some people undervalue themselves, while others overvalue themselves. Where is the healthy mid. point?

The human body contains oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, magnesium, and other trace elements. What would the monetary value of the basic chemical elements that make up the human body be? A few dollars. What would the cost be of the most complex structures formed from the basic elements such as DNA, proteins, and antibodies? Thousands of dollars. What would the cost of vital organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and bone marrow be?

Millions of dollars.

Would that supposed total amount give us the true value of a human being?

How much are a clean conscience, healthy life, good reputation, affections, family, friends, peace, faith, and hope worth?

In our verse for today, Paul says that we should not think of ourselves more highly than we ought to. What is the right amount? It is not considering ourselves beyond what we should, and to do it reasonably, that is, wisely. We must recognize our virtues and flaws, strengths and weaknesses.

Humility is the result of surrendering our lives to God, which leads us to have a renewed mind. It is very important to value ourselves, and to do so with good judgment. Jesus Himself showed us the way: by loving God above all things and our neighbors as ourselves.

Paul added another detail: everything is according to «the measure of faith.» The sinful nature is appreciated according to the values of the world; each one is worth according to what he or she has. In contrast, for those who are dependent on God, the greater their faith, the more valuable they become; however, they acknowledge that it is by virtue of God’s love.

We can never be proud of our humility because that would not be true humility.

What image or concept do we have of ourselves? Idealized, fictional, or balanced? Some people try to show themselves in social media as they would like to be, not as they are. If our self-image matches reality, then we will have a healthy personality, but an inconsistency will end up destroying everything.

Nothing puts us in perspective as accepting and being thankful that we were redeemed by Christ’s sacrifice. 

I am so unworthy that He had to die for me. 

I am so worthy that He would have done it just for me. I will update my value.