All of us love the rags to riches stories; the poor gal who made it big, or the underdog who defeated the great champion. We admire people like young David, who killed the huge giant, or Esther, who became a beautiful princess and altered the course of history in a foreign land. These folks shook off a “pauper” mentality and obtain their God given destiny. Their lives give us hope that we too, can step into our own destinies as we embrace our royal identity.
GETTING THE HOOD OUT
My own personal journey out of pauperhood began when I learned to love and value myself. The challenge was that my father drowned when I was three, which led to me being raised by two stepfathers who abused me. At 18 I received Jesus and instantly got delivered from the “Hood,” so-to-speak, but the struggle lied in getting the “Hood” out of me. Yet despite my upbringing, God was determined that I would be a prince in His royal priesthood. He set up many circumstances designed to deliver me from the prison of impoverished thinking and take me into the palace of His dreams.
One of these transforming circumstances took place many years ago when I was anonymously given an incredible gift of thirty thousand dollars. Several days passed before I finally discovered the benevolent man’s identity. He was new to our fellowship and had attended a class that I taught earlier in the year.
I sent him a card expressing my gratitude, but the strangest thing happened next. I unconsciously avoided him for several months after he gave me that unbelievable gift. Then one day I caught myself trying to keep him from seeing me in church. Suddenly I realized that something was seriously wrong with me but I didn’t have a clue what it was! I got into bed that night and couldn’t sleep. Finally, in desperation I said to God, “Lord, do you know what is wrong with me?”
“Yes,” He replied immediately.
“What is it?” I asked cautiously.
Jesus said, “The problem with you is that you don’t love yourself thirty thousand dollars worth. You’re afraid that if that generous guy gets to know you, he’ll be sorry he gave you the money. That is why you don’t want him to get close to you.”
Anxiety intensified in me. “What should I do?” I questioned.
“Learn to love yourself as much as I love you. When you do, you will expect people to love you more as they get to know you better!” He replied.
I was stunned. I couldn’t believe what was at the root of my problem. I knew that others loved me, (particularly my wife and kids) and I knew the Lord loved me. What I didn’t realize was that I didn’t love myself.
CREATED TO BE ADORED
I have learned over the years that we all respond to our environment according to the way we see ourselves. When someone loves us more than we love ourselves we tend to sabotage our relationship with them. We need to understand that we were created to be adored princes and princesses, not unloved paupers, shackled in the evil castle of a slave’s mentality. This divine revelation will catapult us into our God given mission to carry His glorious Kingdom into a dark and desperate world. But before we can carry His light and love to the world, we must first experience it for ourselves. May the Lover of our souls rescue our hearts from the hood and put us on the highway of holiness.
For more on this subject, check out my book Supernatural Ways of Royalty .
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Do you struggle to love yourself? Tell me about it in the comments below.
