A common result of childhood abuse is that the survivor’s awareness of worth is diminished or erased. In the words of one survivor, “I felt that I was damaged goods.” Sometimes we feel like trash, or like something that has been used and discarded. For myself, I can say that it was decades before I became aware that I personally had a right to anything. When children are robbed of the assurance that they are valued—and worthy of being valued—it can take a long time for the awareness of self-worth to be restored.

This is an area where the beliefs of Jesus, as shown in his words and actions, can be particularly helpful. He loved and cared for everyone because he loved God; he saw each person as someone created by God, in God’s image, and that was the basis for someone’s worth. Our true value is not determined by people’s actions, by our successes or failures, or by our ability to help others. Our value is based only in the unchangeable fact that we were created by God.

Let us strive to remember that this is true for everyone, and practice looking at people as Jesus does…including ourselves. Eventually we will grow to see ourselves as treasured, precious in God’s sight, no matter what has been done to us.   

Photo by Armands Brants on Unsplash.com.