Virtually all victims of trafficking, particularly sex trafficking, go through an initial period of a type of brainwashing. During this time, they are inundated with the message(and abuse as well) that they are completely unworthy. Unworthy of the pimp’s time or resources. Unworthy of anyone trying to find them. Unworthy of anything beyond what the pimp allows. In fact, many girls are fully convinced that whatever the pimp does for them is completely undeserved. They gush with praise for him when he happens to buy them a candy bar. Their relationship with their pimp relies on this foundation. He could not control the girls he “owns” if they were not convinced of this. Any girl who believes she is worthy of something more, and acts on that belief, is beaten senseless until she believes in her own unworthiness…..or she is killed.
This is not unusual for a slave/master relationship. And, unfortunately, it has become the foundation of the relationship many have with God. We are convinced we must understand and believe our own unworthiness. That any good that comes from Him is completely undeserved. We are to come to the belief that we are less than nothing, completely unworthy of anything He might give us, and completely undeserving of His love. It’s even entrenched in our evangelism efforts. We try to brainwash them into believing they are unworthy. We even attribute the trials and tragedies in their lives as His doing. Brainwashing and abuse. Not very unlike those who recruit for pimps. Our evangelism efforts are great for making slaves, but not so good at restoring lost sons. God is not a vengeful Master bent on retrieving His runaway slaves. He is a loving Father, relentlessly pursuing His lost children.
There is a small bit of truth that has gotten warped through the years. It is true that we bring nothing to the table. We cannot offer Him anything. But, our worth-or lack of it-is not dependent upon those things. It is not dependent upon what we do or don’t do. In fact, our worth-or lack of it-has nothing to do with us. It all has to do with Him.
Imagine for a moment holding a newborn baby. Is that baby unworthy of anything His parents give Him? Is she completely undeserving of her parents’ love and devotion? She brings nothing to the table…offers nothing to her parents….is completely dependent upon them. But, does she deserve her parents’ love? If so, why?
Take a preschooler….an active one….one that is constantly messing things up and creating more work for his parents. Is he unworthy of their love? Is he undeserving of the gifts he receives from them?
A child is worthy of his parent’s love simply because he is their child. The fact that he is their son makes him worthy of all their attention, all their gifts, all their love. It is a cruel father who tells his son that he is unworthy of his love. If a child believes him or herself to be undeserving of anything from their parents, it is a reflection of a failure on the parents’ part.
I am worthy of my Father’s love.
I deserve all He bestows upon me.
Because I am His child and my sonship is what determines my worth.
And you are worthy of His love. You deserve all the good things He sends your way.
Because you are His child and that is what determines your worth.