Dear friends,

The modern cultural consensus is that people fail to flourish because they have low self-esteem. 

But the opposite belief prevailed for much of human history: people don’t flourish because they think too highly of themselves. 

Which is it? Do we need more self-esteem or less? 

Neither, says Tim Keller, who recently graduated into glory.

In his tiny book (my favorite kind), The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, Keller offers a brilliant exposition of 1 Corinthians 3 – 4. 

He points out that most of us derive our self-worth from others or ourselves, from how well we measure up to their standard or to our own. But the gospel of Jesus offers us something altogether different: your worth and identity come from God. You are who God says you are. And because of the work of Jesus — because we are adopted into God’s family and share in Jesus’ inheritance — you are, incredibly, who God says Jesus is: the beloved in whom he is well pleased. 

(I can’t do Keller justice here, so I highly recommend getting the book.)

Our identity and worth is in Jesus. That’s fantastic news. So why is it so hard to live from this new-life-in-Christ? 

Because of ingrained habits of thought and action. Because of little and big ​“T” traumas. Because of any number of other things that actively fight against who God says we are.

But it is possible, with God’s help, to grow into an accurate picture of self that leads to the freedom and joy of self-forgetfulness. Another word for this healthy self-identity? Humility. 

James Bryan Smith suggests a simple practice to help move us in this direction. You might try memorizing this phrase and saying it aloud, perhaps with your hand on your chest:

I am one in whom Christ dwells and delights. And I live in the strong and unshakeable Kingdom of God.