“God centered grace nullifies the gospel of self-esteem.  Today, people typically feel loved if you make much of them and help them feel valued.  The bottom line in their happiness is that they are made much of.

Edwards observes, with stunning modern relevance, “True saints have their minds, in the first place, inexpressibly pleased and delighted with… the things of God.  But the dependence of the affections of hypocrites is in a contrary order: they first rejoice… that they are made so much of by God; and then on that ground, he seems in a sort, lovely to them.”  In other words, in his view, the bottom line of happiness is that we are granted to see the infinite beauty of God and make much of him forever.  Human beings do, in fact, have more value than the birds (Matt. 6:26).  But that is not the bottom line of our happiness.  It simply means that we were created to magnify God’s glory by enjoying him in a way birds never can.”

- John Piper; God’s Passion for His Glory, page 35