By Effie Rolfe
You still have value—regardless of your life’s journey and the challenges you’ve faced. Your life’s purpose and value is bigger than you could ever imagine. This message of worth should ring from every mountaintop, neighborhood and home for youth and adults. From the womb to the tomb—we should forever be reminded that as long as you have a pulse you have purpose. In previous weeks, I reminded you that human life always has value because God created man in His image and likeness (Gen. 1:27). Gary Hines and Sounds of Blackness’s chart topping single entitled, “Royalty” has lyrics that are right on point ‘Hold your head up high—keep reaching for the sky—you can take and you can make it. You’re beautiful, powerful and wonderful…you are children of the King. We got a message from above, you ain’t no thug—if you never been told—it’s time for you to know that you’re royalty!’ This timely song has become today’s urban anthem for youth, people and Black America. I believe if our youth heard these words in the womb then Black on Black crime and so much violence that stems from a lack of self-confidence would literally be non-existent.
God loves you just as you are—right here and right now. 1 Peter 2: 9 states, ‘But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.’ Even in your mistakes or mis-steps—be grateful that your life has tremendous worth. Examine a $20 dollar bill. How much is its value once its been stepped on, dropped in the mud, washed and gone through the ringer? What if it falls in the toilet? What if it’s wrinkled, torn and faded after being tossed around? Once you take that $20 dollar bill to the bank—its value is still no less than $20 dollars.
So you messed up—got caught up—it’s called life. I know in your heart of heart, you pray and you cry and hope that it will never happen again. Just like death is unavoidable—mess-ups are inevitable. More importantly, you need to know that in your weakest moment—God doesn’t love you any less. If you were totally perfect, chances are you wouldn’t be alive. At one time, I honestly thought that when Christians accepted the Lord into their hearts—maturation and perfection immediately set in. I thought you literally morphed into the next step of perfection. But now I wonder if anyone can ever become perfect in this life at all. ‘For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing’ (Romans 7:19). Furthermore, Proverbs 4:16–18 reminds us ‘For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.’ God is just and merciful to forgive as long as we remain faithful and our heart and motive is to do righteously.
His strength is perfect, when I am weak. In other words, God loves to use messed up and imperfect people like you and me. Everyone has issues—yours may be alcohol, someone else may be drugs, family or lack thereof, fear, fornicating, finances, food or gambling. Yours is no better or worse than mine. So you’ve struggled. This life will be full of them. Since you are still alive, God still has purpose for you. Allow God to take your misery and give you a mission to encourage someone else not to go down that same path. ‘For all things work together for the good of them that love the Lord ’ (Romans 8:28). Remember—God specializes in the impossible. What seems useless and hopeless in your sight is just right for God. Our heavenly Father takes nothing and produces life-changing miracles. Get over yourself. Your life is not about you. God made you to be a blessing to others and give him glory. You have a glorious future (Jer. 29:11). The Lord is willing to forgive whatever you have done. But you must forgive yourself as well and move forward. Remember, you are blessed from the womb to the tomb. Don’t give up on life because God has not given up on you.
Do you know the value of your life…?
Effie Rolfe is an Author of “Supersize Your Thinking,” Media Personality and Motivational Speaker. You can contact her at effierolfe.com or on twitter.com/effiedrolfe. Listen to her show daily on urbanpraiseradio.org (2015 Stellar Award Winner for Best Internet Radio Station).
