Can too much self-esteem be a bad thing? Carol Craig, an expert in psychological development has warned that parents and educators who over-praise children are creating an “all about me” mentality. She says that we’re at risk of creating a narcissistic generation full of expectations of entitlement. Narcissists, she warns, make “terrible relationship partners, parents, and employees.
It’s not a positive characteristic.” Clearly, there’s a balance to be maintained. We don’t want to be responsible for undermining anyone’s self esteem.
But there’s a big difference between teaching people their worth in God, and teaching them that the world revolves around them. Jesus, around whom the world truly does revolve, exemplified the non-entitlement mentality. It is described in Philippians 2:5-11 by the apostle Paul, when he writes in part, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.
..” In the Psalms, King David was cognizant of keeping his own confidence in check in light of the work in him by his heavenly Father.
We read in Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV) “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” In today’s world, self-esteem can often feel like a rollercoas.