My Report Card

Romans 8:26-39

There it was, towering in the sky above me like an atmospheric report card on my life: Two clouds in the shape of a perfectly formed “C minus.” Great. It couldn’t have been a floating elephant or a fat baby. No, of all the clouds in the sky that morning, mine had to be “C—“. What a way to start the day.

We all, to some degree, look to our accomplishments as a means of determining self-worth. While God does consider the things I’ve done in this life as a basis for my heavenly reward (Mt 5:12; 6:1; Eph 6:8; Rev 22:12), my value to him isn’t based on my accomplishments. My value, my true worth, is based preeminently on the truth of God’s love for me. His love for me proves my worth. And even when my achievement fails to measure up to some worldly standard He will not change his mind about loving me.

God’s passionate and irrevocable love motivates him to work for my good. He does this when I return his love and align my life with the purpose of being conformed to his Son, Jesus. When I am aligned with God, he empowers and equips me so that I will be “more than a conqueror.” No achievement that he has purposed for my life is beyond my reach, and nothing can separate me from the love that makes that achievement possible.

As I continued gazing at the sky, I witnessed a reassuring spectacle. My “C—“ was erased by nothing more than a little wind.