by Rick Warren
“Help each other with the faith we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you.” (Romans 1:12 NCV)
There are people all around you with low self-esteem, because everybody has insecurities.
In fact, studies have shown that the younger you are when you first experience rejection, the more serious implications it has in your life. It’s almost like a curse when people say, “You’re not going to amount to anything. You don’t matter.”
How do you reverse a curse? You start believing what Jesus says about you instead of believing what other people say about you. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:7, “If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him” (LB).
Jesus wants you to believe in others the way he believes in you. Jesus affirmed people around him. When he looked at people, he saw their potential and what God intended them to be. He brought out the best in people not by labeling them but by saying, “I believe you can do it. I know you can do it.”
Look at this series of verses:
“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20 NIV).
“Everything is possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23b).
“Then Jesus told them, ‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more.” (Matthew 21:21 NLT).
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” (John 14:12).
How is that possible? When Jesus Christ was physically on Earth, he could only be in one place at one time. Now, Jesus puts the Holy Spirit in me and you and anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as Savior. Jesus believes you can do great works because you have the Holy Spirit in you. He believes in you!
Jesus wants you to believe in others, too, and express to them the potential you see in them to do great things for God.
“Help each other with the faith we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you.” (Romans 1:12 NCV).
Talk It Over
- What are the insecurities that keep you from believing in yourself the way Jesus believes in you?
- What are some ways you can express to others that you believe in them?
- How can you increase your faith so that you can reach the potential Christ sees in you? How can you help others increase their faith?
