So you think you are Rubbish?

Rubbish? Failure? Useless? Pointless? Redundant? Out of date? Do you feel that you can't write a good essay? Can't get a job? Nobody notices you? People praise everybody else but you? Ugly?

So do these ring any bells? I can't expect everybody to feel rubbish, but I do expect people to feel rubbish sometimes. Considering the world we live in is scary, broken and full of evil. Yes there is love here too, but it is shadowed by the evil that prowls the land like a roaring lion, waiting to devour someone.

If you look at the emotions that I've listed above and feel like any of them, ever at all. Do you feel like that after looking at somebody else? Or do you feel like that when you just look at yourself. To be honest most emotion and ideas about ourselves are fueled by other people. Not by them directly, but by us making them into something we compare ourselves against.

There was once a Story called the Prodigal Son. It was a story Jesus once told. If you've never read it, then type 'Luke 15 prodigal son' into Google and click the first link.

Taking the idea of comparison, I want us to use this story. The boy leaves with all the money belonging to the Father and lives a life of drink, sex and food. Then after he sees he has made a mistake, he returns home to beg forgiveness.

When he returns the Father runs to meet him, embrace him and kiss him. The Father is so happy to see him and orders a feast.

There is however another Son, the brother of the Prodigal. He compares himself to this brother and says to the Father "Why do you love him so much and not me. You never threw me a party and I work so hard for you all the time". See what he is doing? He is comparing himself to his Brother. He might be a righteous and good guy, but he compares himself. This brings the feelings of bitterness, anger and despair. When to be honest, the Father loved him just as much. He didn't see this though.

As a Child of God, the Father loves you, not more or less than his other Children, but the same. So next time you are tempted to compare yourself to others, take time to think of what the Father thinks of you. Then you will not care or even desire Man's praise. For man's praise is sinful and temporary. But God's Praise is eternal and true.

We all need to preach this to ourselves, because bitterness can lead us away from God, which is Hell.