We are Worth so Much More

Proof that I have been paying attention in class: today in class we talked about Nietzsche. Nietzsche was a German philosopher well known for his stance against Christianity. His most controversial statement proclaiming, “God is dead.” So why am I writing about him? Well today in class we talked about his book The Birth of Tragedy in which he claims that beauty is the sole creator of happiness (he does this to refute Socrates who said that justice/virtue are the sole sources of happiness). Nietzsche is essentially claiming that people who are well off/beautiful/lucky are the ones who are happy, and that it’s tough luck for those who aren’t so fortunate. My question is this: how sad must that be. Imagine a life where all that matters is your looks, prosperity, and luck. Imagine how empty that must feel. Sure I try to keep appearance put together and I hope to get a well-paid job after graduating, but to me life is worth so much more than that. Life is worth so much more than my subjective opinions of the world around me. Where does this worth come from? It comes from God. It is from God that I find my self-worth, not those who surround me. I know that I matter because God tells me I do. I know that I am blessed because it is God who blesses me. I may never be as strong as a pro athlete, handsome as a big-name actor, or smart as a Nobel Prize winner but I do know one thing; I know that God loves me and sees in me His special creation and for that reason and that reason alone I am worth something. Sure I could look at the people around me and pass judgments on their appearance, abilities, or net worth. But I don’t, and it is because God loves us unconditionally that we are commanded to do the same. Much of what I have will gradually fade away, but the one possession I make claim to that will grow is my relationship with God. That is all that matters.