Lie 5b: “You Are Not Important”
(Living as a Child of God)
Based on Ephesians 5:1-21
Opening Prayer & Memory Verse
Memory Verse: "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children" (Ephesians 5:1, NIV 1984)
Introduction: The Lie We Believe
Many of us have heard the whisper: "You are not important. You don't matter. Look at where you are, look at what you've done." This lie echoes in the corridors of our minds, especially when we're facing the consequences of our choices or sitting in places we never imagined we'd be.
But today, we're going to expose this lie with the truth of God's Word. We're going to discover not just that you ARE important, but WHY you're important and HOW this truth should transform how you live.
Section 1: Dearly Loved Children of God
Historical Story: Captain Coram and London's Forgotten Children
Let me tell you about Captain Thomas Coram (1668-1751), a shipbuilder and sea captain who became one of history's most passionate advocates for abandoned children. In 1739, Captain Thomas Coram was dismayed at the sight of children dying on the dung heaps of London. These children, mostly foundlings and orphans, were products of a poverty-stricken society where the attitude towards babies born outside of wedlock meant a life of rejection and inferiority.
Coram had spent years in the American colonies, where he witnessed better treatment of vulnerable populations. When he returned to London, the contrast was stark and heartbreaking. Daily, he saw infants abandoned on doorsteps, left in gutters, or simply thrown away like refuse. These children were considered society's "throwaways" - unwanted, unloved, "not important."
But here's what made Coram extraordinary: he campaigned for seventeen years before he received a Royal Charter from King George II to found it. For 17 long years, he refused to give up on children that society had given up on. When powerful men in society initially refused to support his plan, he engaged '21 ladies of distinction' - aristocratic women who helped him gain the support he needed.
In 1739, he established The Foundling Hospital in London as a home for babies whose mothers were unable to care for them. This wasn't just a medical facility, but a revolutionary institution that treated abandoned children as valuable human beings.
What made the Foundling Hospital revolutionary wasn't just the care provided, but how these children were treated. All the babies received at the hospital were given numbers and a new name, the latter being perhaps that of a governor of the hospital or of a famous person. Instead of remaining nameless and worthless, each child received an identity, an education, and most importantly, was told they had worth and dignity.
The hospital's approach was radical for its time. The founding Governors and Guardians included 17 dukes, 29 earls, 6 viscounts, 20 barons, 20 baronets, 7 Privy Councillors, and the Lord Mayor of London. Society's most powerful people invested in society's most powerless children.
The artist William Hogarth and the composer George Frideric Handel played a big part in realising Thomas Coram's vision. George Frederic Handel donated an organ and conducted annual benefit concerts, while William Hogarth designed the children's uniforms and the hospitals coat of arms, and set up an art exhibition in the new buildings.
The transformation these children experienced didn't happen because their circumstances changed - it happened because their identity changed. They stopped being seen as "society's refuse" and started being seen as children with potential, worth, and a future. The Hospital operated for over 200 years, closing its doors in 1954, but today continues as a vibrant charity group of specialist organisations, supporting hundreds of thousands of children, young people and families every year.
This story has been told in multiple books, including "Coram Boy" by Jamila Gavin and the Hetty Feather series by Jacqueline Wilson, and most recently in "London's Forgotten Children: Thomas Coram and the Foundling Hospital," capturing the enduring power of one man's refusal to accept that any child is "not important."
Application: Your True Identity
The Truth: Just as the Foundling Hospital gave identity to abandoned children, God the Father has given you an identity that no earthly family situation can touch.
Paul writes to the Ephesians - and to us - that we are "dearly loved children" of God. The Greek word here is "agapetos" - it means beloved, cherished, precious. This isn't conditional love based on your performance or your past. This is the unchanging love of the Father.
Practical Steps:
Daily Declaration: Start each morning by saying: "I am God's beloved child. He chose me, He loves me, He will never abandon me."
Reframe Your Story: Instead of "I'm here because I messed up," try "I'm here, but I'm still God's beloved child learning and growing."
Evidence Collection: Keep a journal of how God shows His love to you daily - through provision, protection, or peace.
Reflection Activity: Family Portrait
Instructions:
Take 5 minutes to draw or describe your earthly family (however broken or beautiful it may be)
Now draw or describe God's family with you as His beloved child
Write down 3 differences between these two pictures
Share with a partner: "What does it mean to you to be called God's beloved child?"
Challenging Questions:
What has shaped your sense of worth more - your earthly family experience or your identity as God's child?
If you truly believed you were God's beloved child, what would you do differently today?
How do you think God feels when you call yourself worthless or unimportant?
Section 2: Imitators of God
Historical Story: The Power of Imitation - Stevie Wonder and Berry Gordy
In 1961, an 11-year-old boy named Stevland Judkins Morris walked into Hitsville U.S.A., the headquarters of Motown Records in Detroit. This musical genius, who would become known as Stevie Wonder, was only 11 years old when Motown signed him to a contract in 1961. But Stevie had significant challenges - he was born blind and had grown up in poverty with limited role models for success.
Everything changed when he met Berry Gordy Jr., founder of Motown Records. Motown Records guided Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Diana Ross all to global success, and Gordy became more than just a record executive to these artists - he became a mentor and father figure. Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records, served as mentor and friend to many of his artists, with relationships spanning nearly 50 years.
What made their relationship special was that Stevie began imitating not Gordy's musical style, but his character traits. He adopted Gordy's work ethic, his attention to detail, his passion for excellence, and his business acumen. During difficult periods, when Stevie's early releases weren't successful, Motown producer Sylvia Moy persuaded Berry Gordy to give Wonder another chance, showing the kind of patience and belief that Stevie would later emulate in his own relationships.
The remarkable transformation was this: Stevie didn't try to become Berry Gordy. He remained uniquely himself while adopting the character traits that made Gordy successful. This imitation of character rather than style became evident in Stevie's approach to his craft and relationships.
One of the most beautiful expressions of this character development came in 1984 when Stevie created "I Just Called to Say I Love You." The song, written and performed entirely by Stevie Wonder with his characteristic use of synthesizers and programming, became a massive global hit. The song's simple message - reaching out to express love without needing a special occasion - reflected the kind of genuine care and intentional relationship-building that Stevie had learned from watching Berry Gordy.
The music video showed Wonder during a concert, singing into a telephone receiver while seated at a piano, with both he and the audience standing and swaying to the music by the end. The image was powerful: a man who had learned the importance of authentic connection, expressing love simply because someone mattered to him.
Stevie went on to become one of the most successful musicians in history, not by copying Gordy's music, but by imitating his character traits - his loyalty, his investment in people, his excellence, and his ability to see potential where others saw problems. The student had become like his mentor while remaining uniquely himself.
Application: Imitating Our Heavenly Father
The Truth: Paul calls us to be "imitators of God" - not perfect copies, but beloved children who naturally reflect their Father's character.
When you love someone deeply, imitation becomes natural. A child doesn't have to be forced to copy their parent's mannerisms - it happens naturally through relationship and admiration.
What Does It Look Like to Imitate God?
Love sacrificially (v. 2) - "live a life of love, just as Christ loved us"
Speak with purpose (v. 4) - no obscenity or foolish talk, but thanksgiving
Choose purity (v. 3) - avoiding sexual immorality, impurity, and greed
Walk in wisdom (vv. 15-17) - making the most of every opportunity
Practical Steps:
The Mirror Test: Before speaking or acting, ask: "Does this reflect my Father's character?"
Character Inventory: Each evening, identify one way you imitated God and one way you fell short
Mentorship: Find someone whose character reflects God's and learn from them
Reflection Activity: Character Comparison
Instructions:
Column 1: List 5 character traits of God (love, patience, forgiveness, etc.)
Column 2: Rate yourself 1-10 on how well you demonstrate each trait
Column 3: Write one specific action you can take this week to grow in each area
Partner up and pray for each other's growth in one specific area
Challenging Questions:
Which of God's character traits do you most want to develop in your life?
What habits or relationships are making it harder for you to imitate God?
If people watched your life for a week, what would they conclude about your "Father"?
Section 3: Children of Light
Historical Story: From Darkness to Light - Harriet Tubman's Transformation
Harriet Tubman was born into slavery around 1822 on Maryland's Eastern Shore. For the first 27 years of her life, she lived in what she called "the darkness" - not just the physical darkness of working before dawn and after dusk, but the spiritual and emotional darkness of oppression, hopelessness, and fear. She escaped slavery alone in the fall of 1849, when she was 27 years old, with a runaway advertisement offering $100 for her capture describing her as "of a chestnut" complexion.
But here's what made Harriet extraordinary: she didn't just escape darkness - she became a conductor of light. After escaping in 1849, she became a conductor on the Underground Railroad, bravely venturing back into the slave state of Maryland 13 times during the 1850s to lead others to freedom. She guided approximately 70 enslaved people north to new lives of freedom, never losing a single person on these dangerous journeys.
The Underground Railroad was much more than a simple escape route. This informal system was composed of free and enslaved black people, white abolitionists, and other activists, with Quakers being most prominent among the supporters in Maryland. It was an elaborate secret network of safe houses organized specifically for helping enslaved people reach freedom in the North.
Harriet's most famous declaration captures the heart of her transformation: "I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, and I can say what most conductors can't say; I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger." She spoke these proud words at a women's suffrage convention in 1896, reflecting on a ministry that had transformed her from victim to victor.
But Harriet understood something profound about her calling. She once said: "'Twant me, 'twas the Lord. I always told him, 'I trust to you. I don't know where to go or what to do, but I expect you to lead me,' and He always did." She realized that her escape from darkness wasn't meant to be the end of her story - it was meant to be the beginning of her mission to bring others into the light.
Her courage was legendary. She told those she guided: "If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there's shouting after you, keep going. Don't ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going." This wasn't just practical advice - it was the voice of someone who had learned that light always overcomes darkness when you refuse to give up.
Those passengers included her aging parents, her three brothers, their wives, and dozens of others who found freedom because one woman refused to be content with her own liberation while others remained in bondage.
The remarkable thing about Harriet was that she could have stayed safely in the North, but she understood something transformational: once you've experienced light, you can't be content knowing others are still in darkness. Her identity had changed from "escaped slave" to "conductor of freedom," and that new identity demanded that she become light for others walking in darkness.
Even during the Civil War, Tubman applied intelligence she learned as an Underground Railroad conductor to lead the Combahee Ferry Raid that freed more than 700 from slavery. On Veteran's Day 2024, Tubman was posthumously awarded the rank of one-star brigadier general in the Maryland National Guard, recognizing her as both a spiritual and military conductor of light.
Application: Living as Children of Light
The Truth: Paul tells us we "were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord" (v. 8). This isn't just about having light - you ARE light.
The transformation from darkness to light isn't just personal; it's missional. You don't become light just for your own benefit, but to illuminate the path for others still walking in darkness.
Characteristics of Children of Light:
Fruit of goodness, righteousness, and truth (v. 9)
Discernment - "find out what pleases the Lord" (v. 10)
Courage - "expose the fruitless deeds of darkness" (v. 11)
Influence - "everything exposed by light becomes visible" (v. 13)
Practical Steps:
Light Assessment: Identify areas of your life still in darkness that need God's light
Daily Illumination: Each day, look for one opportunity to bring light to someone else's darkness
Accountability: Find someone who will help you stay in the light when darkness tempts you
Reflection Activity: Lighthouse Planning
Instructions:
Draw a lighthouse (stick figure is fine!)
Around the base, write areas of darkness in your life that need light
In the light beam, write specific ways you can be light to others
At the top, write one person you want to help move from darkness to light
Share your lighthouse with someone and ask them to pray for your "light mission"
Challenging Questions:
What areas of darkness are you most tempted to return to, and why?
Who in your life needs you to be their "light" right now?
How can you use your past darkness to help others find light?
Conclusion: The Spirit-Filled Life
The ultimate goal isn't just to avoid darkness or even to walk in light - it's to be "filled with the Spirit" (v. 18). This means:
Worship becomes natural - "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" (v. 19)
Gratitude becomes constant - "always giving thanks" (v. 20)
Relationships become healthy - "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (v. 21)
Final Challenge:
This week, I challenge you to live like the beloved child of God that you are:
Start each day declaring your identity as God's beloved child
Make one decision daily that imitates God's character
Be light to one person who is walking in darkness
Remember: You are not "not important." You are a dearly loved child of the King of the Universe. Live like it.
Closing Prayer:
"Father, thank you for making us your beloved children. Help us to imitate your character, walk in your light, and be filled with your Spirit. May our lives be a testimony to your love and grace. In Jesus' name, Amen."
No comments:
Post a Comment