What happens when you long for your mother’s love, but your sister is the only one loved? What happens when you long for a gift, but your sister is the only one given a gift? What happens when you long to be held on your mother’s lap, but your sister is the only one held on your mother’s lap? Ask Dorie Van Stone. Dorie would personally tell you that repeated rejection is the breeding ground for low self-worth. Because she was not wanted by her mother, in the eyes of her mother, she was always ugly.

Dorie never received the love and affection her heart so deeply craved. However, what a comfort for Dorie (and for all the male and female Dories in the world) to come to know this truth . . .

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

As a child did Dorie have any concept of “self-worth”? How could she? As a continually rejected child, how could she personally feel any sense of significance . . . of value . . . of worth? Even more basic than that, how do you determine the worth of something or someone? How do you know your own worth? Do you look to yourself or others in order to grasp your value? If you look anywhere other than to God—the God who created you with a purpose and a plan—your view of your own value is in grave danger of being distorted. Before you were ever born, God established your real worth by creating you! Even you were worth God’s creating you and more so: God chose you!

What God Says

“He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” Ephesians 1:4

"Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Luke 12:6,7

"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

"The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit." Psalm 34:18

"Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?" James 2:5