Monday, October 17, 2016

Self-image and Self-esteem Part 1

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. 'Eat and drink,' he says to you, but his heart is not with you."
                                                                               Proverbs 23: 7

Self-image could be defined as the image that you of yourself; it is how you see yourself before others. A healthy self-imge is the foundation for the development of the individual as a person and as a member of the community. Generally, most people have a poor concept of themselves, and this faulty self-image often stems from failure in infancy to receive one of four basic needs:
•.  LOVE---the desire to love and be loved and to receive tangible expression of love
•.  ACCEPTANCE---the desire to be accepted, not for what you have or do, but for who you are
•.  Proctection---the need to feel safe and secure under the care if a father and a mother
•.  Forgiveness---the need to receive forgiveness and to be able to forgive.
     When these four basic needs have not been met, a bad image and low self-esteem result producing two negative reactions:
•.  Timidity
•.  Rebellion
A poor self-image robs you of fufilling your potential. It becomes a barrier in your life, an impediment to realizing your dreams. It isolates you and causes your interpersonal relationship to suffer. When a poor self-image is motivating you, you are always searching for acceptance and begging for love in an attitude of false humility. In addition, you feel useless, and your values seem worthless.
God, however, created you to have a perfect self-image. This is achieved by acknowledging and accepting three key points:
•. God created you perfect in His image and in His likeness (Job 10).
•.  You are of such value to God that He sent Jesus to die for you (Rom.8).
•.  You are an important piece in the "jigsaw puzzle" of God. If you didn't exist, the puzzle wouldn't be complete.
   The most important thing isn't what everyone else thinks about you, but what you think about yourself. An example of someone in the Bible with healthy self-esteem is Joseph, the youngest son of Jacob. Although he lived through great adversity, he never let himself be intimidated by it. He became the best whenever he so he was. 

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