In my opinion, the National Day Calendar created a superfluous (there’s my big word for the day) celebration. Together with S.H.E. Inc. (Sisters Helping Each Other) and the She ROCKS It organization, in 2023, they designated the second Sunday of March as National I AM Day. Cue the eye roll!
Today is considered a day of empowerment. Self-affirming statements beginning with “I am” are to spoken to yourself. For instance, the women are to say things like…
- I am beautiful.
- I am strong.
- I am special.
- I am valuable.
- I am smart.
- I am capable of doing anything I want.
- I am a fighter.
- I am resilient.
- I am ME!
It just makes you feel all warm and cozy inside, doesn’t it?
Interestingly, I preached a sermon a month ago that addressed this issue. The purpose of self-affirmation is to remind those who may be considered weak, insignificant, or less than others in society that they are not and to provide a dose of encouragement. There’s one huge, significant problem, though, with worldly self-affirmation.
Humanity is glorified. Man affirms the goodness OF man and IN man while ignoring the truth found in Romans 3:10-12. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (11) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (12) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
By making these humanistic affirmations, it comes dangerously close to elevating man to the place of God. Do you remember what God told Moses when Moses asked who he should say sent him? Exodus 3:14 says, “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” Jesus identified Himself as this same God in John 8:58-59. “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. (59) Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” The crowd knew exactly what Jesus was saying!
When I make a self-affirming statement and say, “I am,” it is falling into the psychological trap of affirming man whereas theology and the Christian life is about affirming God. Either MAN gets the credit or GOD gets the credit, but you cannot simultaneously credit both.
Remember, dear Christian, that we are NOTHING apart from God and the salvation provided by His Son, Jesus Christ. It is the Lord who makes “all things work together for good.” Self-affirmation is a sinful, prideful maneuver to stroke our egos.
Affirm GOD. Credit GOD. Glorify GOD. Praise GOD. Amen!
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