Welcome!
Today, we’re talking about self-esteem.
Our pop-culture’s obsession with self-esteem runs counter to the scriptural principle of humility. But it also runs counter to the values most societies have held throughout history.
As Tim Keller noted in his book The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, “Up until the 20th century, traditional cultures … always believed that too high a view of yourself was the root cause of all the evil in the world … Our belief today – and it is deeply rooted in everything – is that people misbehave for lack of self-esteem and because they have too low a view of themselves.” (The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness Quotes by Timothy J. Keller. www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/19163471-the-freedom-of-self-forgetfulness-the-path-to-true-christian-joy)
Scripture, in contrast to our pop-culture, tells us PRIDE — when a person esteems himself too much — is what is truly destructive. Humility, however, does us good.
As Proverbs 18:12 reminds us, “Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.” (ESV)
And what else should we think about self-esteem? We’ll discuss that another time.
For additional resources, go to www.hopetools.net. Stay bold!
Carl Kerby is the founder of Reasons for Hope and co-creator of the DeBunked apologetic video series. His radio feature, Fast Facts, is heard weekly on VCY America, Saturdays at 9:25 AM Central.
