Am I Enough?

On my way to work I pass a church building that has a marquee sign with a changing message every few weeks. The first one that caught my eye stated: "May the wind take your troubles away," and I thought about how shallow that statement was, and how they could have at least tried to tie it to a biblical principal... like how the winds obey God's will or SOMETHING. Since then I always look out for the messages this congregation puts out to the public.

Most recently, the sign read "You are enough." Because this message was a statement of affirmation rather than a suggestion, it was far more troubling to me- because as Christians we are commanded not only to speak biblical truth, but also to be watchful for false teaching. If we are seeking to save the lost, telling people that they are enough is not going to get them there.

We as humans are deeply valuable because we are made in God’s image. But we are not self-sufficient for redemption, and our identity is secure in Christ, not in ourselves. Though we may be enough for the world, we are called to something higher than being of this world. Scripture is very clear about our meager capabilities outside of Christ.

Romans 3 reminds us that we all fall short of the glory of God- we'll never measure up on our own. Philippians 4 tells us that we can do anything through Christ, but not on our own. We're told in Ephesians that we are saved by grace... not by our own works. Over and over in Scripture, we are reminded that we will never make it on our own, and that God gave us a solution for our inadequacy.

The world tells us that we are enough, but the Gospel tells us that Christ completes us. And that's great news- because He's available to everyone who seeks redemption and fulfillment. As Christians, we have to flip culture upside down. If we had to rely on ourselves to be enough, we would fall short every single time. God doesn't ask or expect that of us- He wants us to rely on His plan and the gift of His Son.