What Are We Worth?

I read this article from a friend's page on Facebook today. I went through a fair portion of reactions. I mean, can you call "progressive Christianity" Christianity? Really? I'm glad they took a stand somewhere, though taking a stand on the fact of sin is just about going as far as you can.... 

I read through the entire thing, and I just sat back kind of amazed. Because they got it. They had it down. They knew the answers; they just didn't like it. If you don't have sin, you have no need of a Savior. Without a Savior, what does Jesus matter? Without Jesus, there is no relationship with God. And they KNEW it! They knew exactly why the Christians (I hope they were really Christians) wouldn't give it up.
 
And then I suddenly realized, this belief that we are not basically messed up is the driving force for so much horror and death and strife. If my worth is not based on being made in the image of God, it must be based on what I can do, what I can contribute - morally, socially, intellectually, whatever. My abilities are the sum of my worth. 

So children are worth little (abortion). Old people are worth little; invalids are worth little; sick people are worth little (euthanasia). But what happens when I am one of those? Depression. Stress. Anxiety. Fear. What do I do to keep from being one of those? I can go against others: steal, lie, cheat, hoard, abuse, kill. Or I can work myself to death in order to have enough money, stuff, people, power, fame. I do everything I can to be worth something. But what happens? Two possibilities: I come to the conclusion that I am worthy, and there are other people who aren't (enter murderers and rapists, genocides and holocausts); or I fall under the burden of never measuring up, never feeling that I am worth anything. I failed - because even if I succeeded in "making it" I still don't feel worth more, and what is the point of living?

The Christian faith has anything but low self-image. We, humans, are made in the image of God. We, humans, were worth enough that God Himself BECAME a man. We, humans, are God's TWICE over in Christ. He made us, and then He paid for us again!

What we don't have is a self-image that puts us in God's place. What we have is a view that puts God on the throne and us at His feet. To mind of the humanist that makes us small. But to be at the feet of God is not small or unimportant. My children are not worth less because they play on the floor at my feet. And I am not worth less because I bow at the feet of Jesus.