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A person’s sense of who they are and the value they hold depends on many things. For example:

• Who they think they are
• What they believe about themselves
• What story they are inhabiting

Identity is something that gets formed in a person from the moment they are born. Very often in families growing up, people become known by a specific attribute, for example; the sensitive one, the shy one, the loud one.

This can become a positive or negative thing, and it begins to shape a person from a very young age.

Growing up people often elevate certain parts of who they are, where they come from, circumstances they find themselves in and look for identity, meaning and purpose in those things.

Everyone has a personal narrative that gives meaning to their lives and fears.

Narratives can be true or false and they influence how people view themselves. Some negative narratives might be:

• No one notices me
• I’m ugly
• I’m not good at anything
• No one would want to be friends with me

In Genesis it says humans were ‘created in the image of God’. The word created implies design, intention, made with purpose. Christians believe God made humans with intrinsic value.

No two people in the world have:

• the same DNA – except genetically identical twins

• the same fingerprints – even identical twins

• the same pattern in the iris of their eye.

Some people have a distorted view of their life and as a consequence have very low self-esteem. Sometimes people struggle to face who they really are and want to live another person’s story.

This is one of the greatest pressures that social media puts on people.

69% of social media users admitted they felt shame about their untruths and cannot live up to their online images.

Often what people believe about themselves to be true, crowds out the reality of who they are: a unique individual with intrinsic value.

Christians believe identity is not self-motivated, a person cannot try hard to get it. It is God given.

Christians believe a person’s value and worth comes from God who created them. The Bible is full of verses that say each person is:

• Accepted: John 1:12 I am God’s Child
• Secure: Philippians 1:6 I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me
• Significant: Ephesians 2:10 I am God's workmanship

Christian’s believe every person is valuable with a specific set of giftings and talents.

All the things that makes a person unique were intentional on God’s part. It is these things that enable a person to perfectly fulfil their purpose that God created them for.

Everyone is different and so people’s purposes are different too.

• This parable encourages people to use the gifts and talents God has given them.

• At the time of Jesus, the term 'talent' denoted 'money.' However, when interpreted in today's context, the parable emphasises the idea that talents grow when they are used.

This inspires Christians not to hide their abilities but to employ and develop them for positive impact.

• Regardless of what skill an individual excels at, the parable emphasises the distinctiveness and inherent worthiness of each person in the eyes of God.

Katie Piper is an English writer, activist, television presenter and model.

In March 2008, she was attacked with acid by her ex-boyfriend and an accomplice, causing major damage to her face and blindness in one eye. Piper underwent pioneering surgery to restore her face and vision. Both attackers were convicted and given life sentences.

In 2009, Piper gave up her right to anonymity in order to increase awareness about burn victims. Her experience was documented in the 2009 Channel 4 documentary Katie: My Beautiful Face part of the Cutting Edge s��������.

Her main work has been for the Katie Piper Foundation, which she founded to help victims of burns and other disfigurement injuries.

"I don't have to pretend to be someone I'm not and I think talking so openly about my story gave me acceptance that it's ok to be me.” – Katie Piper