Worm theology

Ok, I have had this brought up in a number of ways over a number of years and I am trying to make sense of it all. There seems to be this current of thought in Christian circles that apart from God we are nothing more than the scum of the earth. I have problems with it. I don't understand why there is a theology wrapped around how horrid we are. And frankly I dont' understand how people would want to embrace a faith that believes we are scum. I could be way off base here but bear with me. God made us in His image. And then He spoke over us as His creation and declared that we are good. So where on earth do we get this idea that we are worms. We are made in His image, He declared that we are good and for me that settles it. I often have a discussion wiht people as to how our behaviour does not define you as a person. I have found that a lot of behavour stems out of where we have been wounded. But that does not take away from the fact that God created us in His image and declared that we are good. Dont' get me wrong, there can and may come a time when we engage in godless behaviour so much so that God will give us over to our actions. But I think overall our behaviour does not define us. I can look to my own life for many examples. There have been things that I have done that I am less than proud of. But that does not detract from the fact that God still sees me as having value and worth.Parenting comes to mind here. Kids act up and rebel and act in inappropriate ways but a wise parent sees past that into the heart of their children. It is what is in the heart that defines who we are. I think that may be why there are so many biblical admonitions to guard our hearts and be careful of what we put into them. Becuase at some point, if we consistently dwell on and engage in godlessness, then we can become that.When I think on this form of theology, I have a problem with the idea that we are at the very bottom and God swoops down and rescues us. Don't get me wrong, we fell and we live in a state of sin and God did send us His son to reconcile us back to Him. But I think there is a difference between recognizing that fact that we are fallen and going so far as to say we are horrid worms. Personally I think that that is an afront to God. If He created us in His image, how can we be worms. Would that not entail that He is then as well? God created us as beautiful people that reflect Him. Did we mess up? Yup! Do we sin daily? Yup! But does that mean we are worms or scum? NO! I don't believe so. I think it means that we are beautiful creatures whom God declared as good who messed up and made mistakes and if we have a contrite heart then God is gracious enough to forgive us and bring us back to Him.Like I said earlier, I could be way off base here but for someone who struggles with self worth, to think that I am a worm that deserves nothing is hard for me to grasp. It is far easier for me to believe that although I mess up and am sinful, God made me as a beautiful creation whom He spoke over and declared as good. It is far easier for me to believe that, rather than me being nothing better than scum. And maybe I am worng and taking the easier thing for me to believe. But I know who I am, I know my heart's intent and I know too where I messed up and what caused me to mess up. The thing I find is that the reasons why I mess up come out of areas where I have been hurt and they do not reconcile with who I am and what my heart's intents and desires are. Worm theology...... sorry at this point I cannot buy into it.