It dawned on me as I started my first day of work after the job interview. Two men had entered the plant also looking for work. I tried to make eye contact; immediately, their eyes shifted to the ground.
  The next day, while getting my hair cut, the hair dresser complained about the same thing - young ladies coming to get their hair done in the last few years had little self confidence - even with all the available training and education. Ironically, a newspaper article caught my eye entitled, "Self-esteem is sunlight for the human spirit". Kathryn Walsh, a psychotherapist from Ontario, introduced her article by saying, "One of the most difficult problems I deal with on an all-too-frequent basis is the issue of low self-esteem. Self-esteem is to the human spirit what sunlight is to a growing plant. If the plant is denied sunlight it will wither and die."
   The dictionary defines esteem as, "to have a favorable opinion of oneself, to respect, to sense one's integrity and value." To have low self-confidence is to be more prone to anger, addictions, dysfunctional relationships, and apathy. Alcohol, drugs, smoking, pornography, etc., can give the temporary sense that you feel better. Further, a victim of low self-esteem does not recognize and face new ideas and opportunities. Walsh adds, "When I examine the devastating effects of low self-esteem, there are layers of negativity that smother a person because of an inability to break free. If a person thinks he or she is unworthy, he or she will act accordingly. If a person thinks he or she is incapable, he or she will act accordingly. If a person thinks he or she is without hope, there will be no hope." Sadly, this condition is frequently passed on to subsequent generations.

   Offering hope is the flip side of the coin. What can a person do in a situation like this? All too often we draw up challenges to the melancholy saying, "Just put on a brave and happy face." Someone once told me, "Cheer up, things could get worse. So I cheered up and sure enough, things got worse."

Daily Wisdom for today does offer hope. We encourage victims of low self-esteem to go for professional help, preferably a Christian psychotherapist. Further, we can answer your concerns with hope and renewal. We strongly believe that Jesus Christ offers to all, the Sonlight for the human spirit. John 1:16 ,lavished with hope, reads, "From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another." All of us have failures on our road to recovery but I encourage you to take the challenge and consider Jesus Christ as part of your solution. "He will strengthen weary hands, steady knees that give way and say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear."Your God will come...to save you" (Isaiah 35:3,4).