Worth and Dignity

When we hear the words “worth” and “dignity” when applied to people we should remember that everyone has been created by God and made in His image.  That means that each person has intrinsic value and God views them as having great worth.  Since God has such a high view of people, we should view them the same way.  These two concepts should be more than nice-sounding words to us.  They should be backed up by the actions we take that show that people are extremely important.

“Worth” has to do with the great value people have because they are the handiwork of God.  “Dignity” has to do with honor, esteem, and respect.  Both worth and dignity are terms that should be used to emphasize that every individual has an essential right to be highly valued, honorably respected, and sensitively treated.

The Bible affirms the worth and dignity of everyone when it says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).  Notice several aspects of this verse.

1. “God” - The God of the Universe conceived, designed, and formed people exactly the way He wanted them to be.
2. “Workmanship” - God’s craftsmanship has been exhibited with divine skill that indicates his creation is the very best possible work that could ever be done.
3. “In Christ Jesus” - The image in which we have been created is that of Jesus Christ, God's one and only son.
4. “To do good works” - The purpose individuals need is to be involved in excellent good works – the very best that we can possibly do.
5. “Prepared in advance” - The good works we are to accomplish have been planned for us by God Himself and take place though us living a godly life.

The principles of fairness, justice and honorable treatment are meant for everyone.  In scripture, the Apostle Paul reminds us that this principle needs to be broadly applied to each person when he said, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people.” (Galatians 6:10).  How do you view other people?  Do you see them as individuals having great worth and dignity and worthy of great respect according to God’s standards?  Ephesians 2:10 (see above) should give us the motivation to make worth and dignity top priority as we interact with people.

Our Biblical Responsibility

Have you ever wondered what it is that God wants you and me to do?  Many things are identified in the Bible concerning how a person ought to live, but the prophet Micah summarizes God’s desire when he writes, “He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the LORD require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

Thee three commands identified in this verse are: (1) To act justly, (2) To love mercy, and (3) To walk humbly with God.  So, what do these commands mean for ordinary people like you and me?

·        First, to “act justly” is to follow the golden rule; it is to act in a fair way towards other people and treat them in the same manner that you would want to be treated.  In other words, we are to do what is right by everyone. 

·        Second, to “love mercy” is to be kind, gracious and compassionate towards all people.  Not only are we to show mercy but we are to delight in participating in this kind of action wherever we are.

·        Third, to “walk humbly” is to recognize who God is and endeavor to be in constant fellowship with Him.  This happens through the reading of the Bible (which is God’s Word to us) and meditating on what He says.  Charles Spurgeon, an English Baptist preacher said, “Humility must be in the heart, and then it will come out spontaneously as the outflow of life in every act that a man performs."

Everything in our lives – whether thought, word or deed – should all bring honor and glory to God, build up other people, and further the cause of Christ.  So, the question each of us must ask ourselves is “Where am I when it comes to the actions of justice, mercy and humility?  Do I act justly by treating everyone fairly?  Do I delight at reaching out to others and showing the love of Christ in an encouraging way?  Do the motivations of my heart and my daily actions reveal that I walk humbly with the Lord?

Are you taking your biblical responsibility seriously?