Find your Worth

Carl J. Bromley
January 14, 2015

We live in a society where everything that you do is judged or measured. We can easily see this in younger years, like high school, which most of the time grows in with our adult years. It can be seen absolutely everywhere; magazines, TV, movies, friends, and even family can produce this message: You’re not good enough. That is a terrible, empty message and what’s truly sad is there are many, many people who take it to heart. Anyone can see the flawless model on a magazine with her tan skin or his chiseled abs and begin to compare it to themselves. This message can be seen in schools through grades. Now I understand that grades are an important thing to the school system, but it’s a little silly when I've known people who have said to me “if I don’t get an A in every class I am a worthless failure”. A worthless failure? I don’t tell people that say those things what my grades usually are, because then I will just look like a failure to them. I cannot express enough how stupid I think it is to measure your self-worth to grades or most things for that matter.

Trust me, I've struggled with this problem and still do. I am almost twenty-three, I’m single, I’m basically broke, I’m still working on my undergraduate, I’m definitely not in peak physical shape or look anything like a model on a magazine, my grade point average is less than impressive, I have no single talents that just blow people away, and I work at Pizza Hut. By the world’s standards (and by a lot of people I've met) I am a total and utter failure. I've had people that I genuinely cared about tell me I’m weak or that I’m pathetic and that can just be one of the most hurtful blows a person can take. It’s a good thing I don’t measure my self-worth by their standards or my depression could have led to serious self-harm. I find my self-worth in Christ and by those who love me. My Mommy thinks I’m special and dang it that’s enough for me. That’s what worries me for others. I've met too many people who believe they are absolutely worthless and it breaks my heart.

I genuinely don’t think anyone is worthless. Perhaps you don’t feel beautiful, because you don’t sum up to a model. I think you’re beautiful. There’s too many sweet, innocent girls throwing up their lunch or not eating at all to fit into a mold of a woman. There’s too many young, naive boys getting into pointless fights or dangerous gangs to fit into the mold of a man. Let me say this, because it helps remind me of my own worth: There is only one you. In all the years that this earth has existed, there has only been and only will ever be one you and you fit in like a beautiful and unique puzzle piece. Without you, the picture will be incomplete and if that doesn't mean you’re worth something, then I don’t know what does. I care about you, even if you’re a stranger to me. Whether you struggle with beauty, intelligence, charm, humor, money, achievement, or whatever you can think of, I still find your existence a miraculous wonder.