Heroes, Halloween, & Self-Esteem
During October, the retail market is flooded with a colorful array of costumes. Predominantly among them are frilly princess gowns and the capes of mighty warriors. Then on All Hallows Eve, or Halloween, both children and adults will impersonate their favorite characters of distinction. Although it’s all in good fun, perhaps there is something more to it. Do we identify with our heroes by impersonating them? Are there reasons beyond the masquerade?
Many people struggle with feelings of low self-esteem. This is not uncommon even for some of the most confident people, despite outward appearances. Think of the tragic lives of so many of Hollywood’s celebrities, who felt that they could not measure up despite all their fame and fortune. Confidence in one’s talents, status, abilities, and finances will never replace the deep spiritual need for self-worth.
Even as Christians, we can be saved, but still live like spiritual paupers. We can become tempted to find self-worth in the things of this world that cannot truly satisfy. It is important that we understand and live into the truth; we are worthy, loved, and belong. We are royal heirs in God’s kingdom, and our self-worth comes from who we are in Christ Jesus.
Jesus often told parables, or stories, to help us understand truths about our faith. In the same way, I would like to take a look at a fairytale, with the story of a young lady of noble descent who had more than her share of sufferings. She was orphaned, suffered slavery, and was abused in her own home. Her name was Cinderella.
Most of us are familiar with the story. At the very beginning of the animated film, Disney clues us that Cinderella’s father had been a very wealthy aristocrat and widowed while she was still a child. He remarried Cinderella’s cruel stepmother after his wife’s death, and after her father passed, her upbringing was less than a dignified one. With no real sense of belonging, she was forced to wear rags and to be a slave in her own home because her stepmother and stepsisters were jealous of her. They did everything in their power to prevent her from going to the royal ball. Regardless of her dismal circumstance, she never lost her self-worth. She was a cherished daughter of noble descent, and she knew it.
In the more recent Cinderella movie, we see a flashback to when she was a child. At her dying mother’s side, she tells her to “have courage and always be kind.” Cinderella recalls what her mother had said and obeyed her mother’s final wishes.
Although we are not told anything about Cinderella’s faith, there are clearly Christian principals at work.
It takes perseverance under challenging circumstances to remain faithful. Cinderella almost lost hope when, despite how hard she tried to go to the ball, her plans were sabotaged by her wicked stepmother. Yet, in keeping with her birth mother’s wishes, she was kind and did not retaliate against wickedness. She was courageous and kept the faith. When persecuted, she sang songs of hope to pass the day. She was denied a fancy ball gown, so she made her own. Locked up in the castle, she had no friends but talked with the lowliest of animals, mice, who would later drive her to the ball. She waited for her prince to come and did not settle for less just because her wicked stepmother expected her to. She was blessed as a result.
Sometimes we can get discouraged when the evil plans of others seem to threaten us. Cinderella’s stepfamily forgot her royal heritage, and we too can lose sight of our royal heritage in Christ. Take heart, my beloved, your heavenly Father is a king, and you are royal heirs!
The Bible tells us in Luke 1:32-33 that Jesus will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, receiving the throne and reigning over a kingdom that will last forever - there will be no end! 2 Peter 2:9 reminds us that believers are the people who are “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation!” In Romans 8:17, Paul tells us, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
Knowing and feeling our worth is not always easy. We are born into a world where others do not always respect our value. For some, even members of our own family can hurt us with harsh words that can cut us down, leading us to feelings of inadequacy.
No matter what our status or upbringing, our heavenly Father is a King and loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. No matter how others have treated us and how menial our labor, it will never change how valuable we are to God. We are called to be kind even when others don’t recognize our worth because God does.
Mark 12:30-31 says we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbors as ourselves.
Walt Disney knew the value of holding onto hope when he said, “That’s what we storytellers do. We restore order with imagination. We instill hope again and again and again.” As God’s children, we have the hope of eternal life, and we are heirs to His throne.
So this Halloween, whether you will wear a costume of royalty or just dress as you usually would, remember that you, my beloved, truly are royalty, a prince or a princess treasured by God, and that’s no fairy tale.
Attention families with young children!
You are hereby invited to attend Royal Family Time. Join the princess and friends as we sing songs and learn about God’s love for us. Remember, you are a child of God, our King, you are a prince or princess and part of the Royal Family!
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