Our Value In the Cultural Pecking Order And In The Eyes of God

Every society has what could be described as a “pecking order” which we understand to have much to do with our worth and value as human beings. I’m not saying this pecking order is good, I’m not defending the social pecking order I’m simply acknowledging that it exists.

Virtually everyone has some understanding of his/her value as a person based on where we view ourselves in the pecking order. In American culture some of the factors    that contribute to value in the social pecking order are looks, financial standing, skills, intelligence, relational connections, fame or lack of fame, talent, age…and there are numerous other factors, as well.

There are even factors which contribute to worth and value in the social pecking order among the many subcultures to which we all belong in the culture at large. So, we can find ourselves thinking of our value on these other levels, as well.

Again please understand, I am not defending or approving of this social pecking order. And I am not suggesting this is a correct determinant of our value. I am describing the existence of these issues.

I am also raising the subject as a reminder to myself. Occasionally, I find myself thinking that my value is not very high because I do not rate highly in the social pecking order. (I’m not writing this to evoke sympathy. Frankly, I think what I do in this regard is fairly common. I believe there are probably quite a few of us who think of ourselves as rating fairly low in the social pecking order.)

When I consider the fact that I may not rate highly in the social pecking order I try—with God’s help, I am genuinely making an effort—to remember my inherent worth and value is not determined by how I rank in the cultural pecking order. My worth and value is rooted in the truth that I have been intentionally and lovingly created by the One who spoke the universe into existence.

No matter how we rank in the cultural pecking order, you and I really do possess inherent dignity, worth and value because we are made in the image of God.

This truth of our inherent value may be a well-known idea to some of us and it might even seem obvious but, to be honest, it is easy to forget in the day to day living of life. So, I am reminding me… and I am reminding you, too.