Quick, think of one thing you’re pretty good at. Got it? OK, now think of one thing you’re not that great at.

I asked a few people those questions and got answers like these: “I think I’m pretty good at cooking.” … “People have told me I’m a good communicator.” … “I’m really bad at math.” … “I’m not very organized.” … “I talk too much.” The last one came from the same guy who said he was a good communicator. Figure that one out.

What about you? I’m guessing your answers to those questions are probably pretty similar to the ones I got. So now ask yourself this question: “How did I arrive at my opinions about myself?” In other words, what makes you think you’re good at this, and not so good at that?

If you dig deep enough, this is probably what you’ll find: you think you’re good or bad at something because you’ve compared yourself to other people. Right?

That’s just what we do. We consider ourselves good or bad, admirable or shameful, worthy or unworthy based on where we rank among the people we know or know of. The reason you think you’re bad at math is because you know of other people who are better at math. You don’t walk around saying, “I’m really bad at flying.” Why? Because everybody’s bad at flying. Nobody’s done it yet.

This is the reason why we also don’t think much about our spiritual unworthiness. “Nobody’s perfect” we remind ourselves when we make a mistake. Then we go on with our day.

So God gave us passages like Revelation 5 to show us that we’re measuring ourselves against the wrong thing. It’s John’s peek behind the curtains at a drama unfolding in heaven:

I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. (Rev. 5:1-4)

Our unworthiness is front and center in this passage. Nobody in the universe is worthy to open the scroll of God (in other words, to carry out his plan). And so John begins to weep. Wail. Sob uncontrollably.

Maybe John wept because he thought he might be the one who was worthy. After all, he was a disciple. That’s a pretty important title. He was “the one Jesus loved.” That’s pretty huge. He was the only one who didn’t desert Jesus on the cross. Compared to everyone else he knew, he was the most worthy!

But if that’s what was going through his head, he was using the wrong measuring tape. Our worthiness isn’t based on how we compare to the people around us. It’s how we compare to Christ. That’s what John soon discovered:

One of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”  And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing … And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain (Rev 5:5-9)

Jesus is worthy because he died on the cross and conquered Satan. He’s the only one who did that, so he’s the only one in the universe who’s truly worthy.

And the incredible thing is that he’s invited us to join him:

By your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” (Rev 5:9-10)

When you put your trust in Jesus, then everything he has becomes yours. You reign because Christ reigns. You’re a priest because Christ is the perfect priest. You’re worthy because Christ is worthy.

I’d much rather be using that measuring tape.