I wouldn’t want to have that conversation. A conversation where God calls you into the office and tells you that you suck. That you’re less than perfect. That you are inherently flawed. That you are physically/intellectually/emotionally inferior. That you just aren’t good enough.

The good news is God would never call us aside and tell us any of this.

Yet how often do we have this very conversation with ourselves?

THREE VOICES There are worldly voices surrounding us which quite often influence our own opinion of who it is we think we are. These voices come in several dialects, but usually all they do is work against us. Of all the voices, these three are the most influential and are potentially the most detrimental to the vision we have of our own self.

THE VOICE OF POP CULTURE I’ve always found pop culture to be exciting and annoying at the same time. Pop culture has been empowered to elevate and anoint the “next big thing”. I’m not sure how it happens, all I know is it does. With it comes the new definition of cool, the trends you need to follow, the ever-changing expectations you need to live up to. Pop culture sets the rules by which you’ll be judged. It will never tell you that you suck. That’s what your peers are for.

THE VOICE OF PEERS Peers are the enforcers of the Code of Cool, the Expectation Police. These are the label makers, the ones who will define us for others and even for ourselves if we empower them to do so. Their interest is their own self interest of superiority and position. Peers will be more than happy to let you know you suck. It just makes them feel like they are better than you. It makes perfect sense in a mindset based upon fear and scarcity. We’ve all been on both sides of this table. There is, after all, a reason why it’s called peer pressure.

THE VOICE OF FAMILY Of the three voices this one is the most important. Simply because these are the voices that matter most.  The opinions of family carry with them a disproportionate significance because these are the voices we empower to validate the choices we’ve made. Perhaps the greatest influence this voice has on us comes from subtle, well-intentioned-but-damaging comments which come our way. No malicious intent, but damage is done as their words play upon our psyche.

Of all the voices we are exposed to in the world, though, the only one that really matters is your own. Ultimately, your image of you is up to you. Certainly there are powerful influences outside of us with the ability to reshape the very image we have of who it is we are. But that can only happen if we allow that to happen. With the world whispering words of doubt into your ear, it all comes down to one question:

What are you whispering into your own ear?

You’ll never be in a position where you’ll have to respond to God telling you that you suck. Because you don’t. Never have and never will. And He should know, shouldn’t He? God does have an excellent track record of creating nothing but greatness. Our challenge is to see the same greatness within us which God sees within us.

HIGHEST AUTHORITY When we hear the voices around us we always need to consider the source. Better yet, consider your Source, the Source of your own creation. Listen and you’ll hear the voice of the Highest Authority. Perhaps this voice gets lost in the background as the “Next Big Thing” screams onto the scene. God’s voice is His artistry, magnificently expressed in the perfection residing within each and every one of us. Including you. A perfection that peacefully transcends any worldly opinion.

In our perfection nothing is missing. We are already complete, equipped with our own unique collection of talents, gifts, and abilities which will enable us to fulfill our divine promise. When was the last time anyone said you were perfect exactly the way you were created?

Now that is something to whisper into your own ear, isn’t it?

It’s a great day to be you!