worthy

There’s a character flaw buried deep in our American roots. Along with our national spirit of self-sufficiency and individual rights comes the attitude that we deserve a good life. We’re owed something. And that can easily morph into an attitude that God wants us to be happy and, if we’re not, he’s not coming through on his part of the deal.

An attitude like that has strayed a long way from the Biblical standard of worthiness.

Revelation 5:2-4 says, “And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?’ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’”

What was it about Jesus that made him worthy? He was the blood sacrifice. He was the payment for all the sins in the entire world through all of history. He was one who restored all of us to a good relationship with God.

That’s the real point, right there. We’re not worthy because, absent Jesus’ sacrifice, we have a failed relationship with the creator and ruler of the world. We don’t deserve happiness, but we’ll find it in our new closeness with Jesus. We don’t deserve wealth or health but those who walk with God have everything they need. And we certainly don’t deserve to open the scroll, to know God’s plans, but as adopted sons and daughters, God often shares his intentions with us. 

We have worth not by any virtue of our character, or because we’re Americans. Every iota of value we have comes from our role as image-bearers and disciples of God.