Dee: Hi there. This is Dee. My guests and I today will be discussing a problem that many of us have or have had, and that is a poor self image. Do you find it hard to accept yourself? Do you recognize the talents and goodness within yourself or are your thoughts about yourself predominantly a sense of worthlessness and accusation?

Many of us have battles the poor self image at one time or another. I praise God for the help He gives to us to leave this kind of pain behind.

Harv: Often, poor self images begin in childhood and follow us into adulthood. As parents, we need to be aware or our children's poor self images and help them to develop positive ones.

Dee: Jean, you and your husband are doing a fine job of developing a sense of love and achievement in your son.

Jean: Thanks Mom. But you could be a little prejudiced about your grandchild. *laughs* But really, a lot of criticism and punishment tends to be devastating to a child's self esteem. They need positive reinforcement and love.

Harv: A lot of criticism is hard on most people's ego, no matter what age they are.

Jean: That's right Dad. The competitive society we live in doesn't help, and neither do our past failures.

Dee: Negative thinking, lack of purpose or a guilt-ridden conscience also cause some to have poor self esteem.

Jean: Mom, why is it important to have a good self image?

Dee: Our attitudes about ourselves actually affects our behavior. Catering tio our poor self image can prevent us from the achievement and fulfillment that we might otherwise have.

Harv: Dear listener, God wants me to tell you that He loves you. He really does.

Dee: Jesus said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend." Christ's love for you is so great that He died for you. No matter how unworthy you feel, He loves you! He is beside you -- right now -- waiting for you to turn to Him -- to ask Him into your life. Let Him direct your path to peace and joy and fulfillment.

Harv: Dear listener, the Bible tells us that you are so important to God that even the hairs of your head are numbered.

Jean: Dad, do you think God really cares whether or not we love and respect ourselves?

Harv: The Bible says, "Love thy neighbor as thyself". This verse lets us know that God does want us to love ourselves.

Dee: To have self love or self respect does not mean that we have to be conceited. We can be humble and still recognize our own self worth. On the other hand, we can be less than perfect -- and even have projects that fail -- without being a failure.

Harv: Right. It's better to try, even though we may not achieve our total goal, than not to try at all.

Dee: Learning from failure can be a stepping stone to success. Harv, on the scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being perfect, how would you rate yourself?

Harv: Say a six.

Dee: Ah, I would rate you at least as an eight. Why do you say six?

Harv: Well, it's unrealistic to expect myself to be perfect in all categories. I'm reasonably successful in my profession and have a good relationship with Christ Jesus. The good aspects of my life and talents make a 6 seem reasonable.

Dee: Do you feel like a failure that you aren't a 10?

Harv: Not in general. I'd like to be better than I am. In some categories I've done well. For instance, you tell me that I'm a good husband. In other areas, I'd like to achieve more.

Dee: Do you sometimes feel inadequate? Like an underachiever or a failure?

Harv: Yes. Then I pray about whatever it was and ask for God's help in whatever way it is needed. I praise and thank God for all that is good and right and for the talents, abilities and blessings that He has given me. Then I have inner peace again about myself.

Dee: You're a good testimony for Phil. 4:4-8. God says to think on good things. When we think on the negative things about ourselves constantly, we are tearing ourselves down. No one person has all the possible good attributes and no other person will have all of yours.

We have a guest with us today, a teacher who has some insights on this subject. She is also a radiantly attractive young lady.

Thanks for being with us, Ruth. What was your problem with self image?

Ruth: When I was only 8 years old, I had cancer. I thank the Lord for bringing me through it, but it did leave me physically scarred. I would have grieved about that, but I've learned how to make this an opportunity to witness. But sometimes, having a visible physical problem makes you feel inferior.

Dee: Especially in one's teens, it's a problem if you feel different from the other kids.

Ruth: That's right.

Dee: How did you combat this inferiority feeling?

Ruth: Through the Lord. I especially think of the verse Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9. "He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." Paul talks about that and says God's power is his strength. Satan likes to make us feel like we're alone and worth nothing, but through God, Jesus has done everything for us by dying on the cross for us. That tells us how much He cares and loves us.

I am a child of God, a king's kid and He lifts me up. I use my scar as a witness for those whose problems are greater than mine. If they look to him He'll uplift them too. And so the Lord blesses us -- me included with these problems.

Dee: That's tremendous, that you can take a devastating situation and turn it around though the Lord, making it a blessing for others and fulfillment for you. Do you feel it is more worthwhile to turn your problem over to the Lord and drawing on Him for assurance and self worth?

Ruth: Yes, I do. When you're batting with the Lord, you're batting a 100%. You can't do any better than that. I think of so many instances in my life where he has blessed me. I believe my problem drew me closer to him.

Dee: Joni Eareckson Tada said that she thanked God for her paralysis because it brought her to Him, and life with Him is so much better.

Ruth: That's right.

Dee: It's been a blessing to have you share with us. You're such a beautiful woman with a great personality and God does work through you in many ways. Thank God you didn't get lost in your misery and allow your problem to destroy your joy in life.

Ruth: That's right. I think about the song, "The Joy of the Lord Is My Strength", and He is my joy and my strength.

Dee: Amen.