Correspondence: How do you measure your value in society?

Society is wrong to say we must acquire material goods and letters to our name in order to be valued, suggests Althea Charles, a 28-year-old from Bridgetown, Barbados.

In life we strive hard to accomplish and add things to us in order for us to gain value. Or, dare I say, become ‘somebody’ of worth.

When God created mankind, before mankind had done ANYTHING; God said man was very good.

God has created each of us as highly valuable human beings. However the “strong voice” of the world says we must acquire things and letters to our names in order to become valuable.

The relationship among the Father, Son and Holy Spirit has always been one of perfect unity and symmetry. God thought of human beings as valuable enough to allow the Son to make the ultimate self sacrifice in order to bring us into that perfect unity and symmetry that they share an Entity.

Now there are two “strong voices” that speak to us about our value. God and the World. God says we simply ARE valuable. The world says, we ACQUIRE value. To which do we listen? The answer helps to determine the quality of life that we live.

More importantly, the answer determines how we deal with that inner voice that tells us that we are not good enough, inadequate, not of value, and would not be accepted for the people we are when all the letters, titles and accolades have been stripped from us.

This makes me think no wonder some of us settle for being performers because that is the only way we THINK we will be accepted by anyone. Let us not dance through life as if we are performers on a stage. At some point we should put ourselves in the audience. Then we realise that the stage is just that – a place for PERFORMERS. It reflects, but does not represent reality.

If you find yourself on a stage and are feeling pressured to perform. Walk off the stage. Walk to the back of the audience. Push the exit door. Walk out of the theatre and face a life without the need to perform.

People often say “what value are you?” but the significant question is “Whose value are you?”

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Note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. All articles are published in a spirit of improving dialogue, respect and understanding. If you disagree, why not submit a response?