My good friend, Daniel Rosenlund, of the great city of Helsinki, has a post today entitled "People=σκύβαλον," or something similar to that, though all in English. Notwithstanding the title, he makes a simple point in the post: "It is not what you do that makes you who you are, and it is not where you have been that makes you who you are, and it is not how much money you have that makes you who you are." I replied in a comment that these societal ideals are thoroughly and completely unbiblical.

Our small group at church is studying Richard Pratt's book, Designed for Dignity, which deals with discovering what it means to be created in the image of God. In the first chapter, Pratt makes two distinctions. We are images of God, but we are simultaneously images of God. This creates a balanced scale. On the one hand, we are created from mere dust and as such we pale dramatically in comparison to God. But at the same time, God has created us as his children, to be the representatives of his kingdom here on earth. While there is a dramatic difference in these two sides of the coin, they nevertheless are balanced.

In a sense, therefore, we are nothing. But at the same time we are so much. We need to discover how to maintain the balance of these two aspects of our identity. Further, when society determines that we are defined by the size of our bank account or the worth of our vehicle, we need to recall the identity that God has given us as his children in Jesus Christ. Pratt says,

People all around us are confused about who they are. Often in our attempt to honor God, we fail to realize the unique role God has given us in his kingdom. In this confusion we vacillate between self-degradation and self-importance. Scripture, however, provides a balanced portrait of human beings. We are images of clay, but images designed to represent the authority of the King of the universe. In this balanced perspective, we live with humility and dignity as images of God (21).

I agree with Dankku that we cannot accept the standards that society holds to in defining ourselves. Rather, we must accept God's standards. Only there do we find our dignity and worth. Also, at the return of Christ, we will realize that dignity in its fullness knowing that it will be beyond compare.