Learning to Keep Value, Worth in His Hands

Lately, I have been putting my value and worth into the wrong hands.

I’ve been looking for accolades through various areas of my life – specifically, from people in my life – and forgetting who I live for, and what I strive to accomplish.

How often do we put our identity into what others think? It happens when we want to be included, when we want to be told that what we’re doing in our everyday life is “good” or that we’re successful by other’s standards of whatever that means – and that’s by their definition, not even ours.

I have a friend who is honest with me whenever I feel this. Who reminds me over and again that we live and work for the kingdom. That what we do is for Him. That while we have to adhere to standards, and follow set rules and guidelines at times, that we also need to remember who we strive to glorify.

And it’s not our neighbor. Or our friend we might try to reel back in after a disconnect. Or even our family. Because if we’re not working hardest to glorify God in all we do, then we’re on the wrong path. We have the wrong priorities. The wrong structure we’ve set before us. A plan that is not ours.

This is true not only in our everyday walk. But in all of our relationships. Even in our jobs. Dare I say even with strangers – trying to impress those who don’t even know us in our “look at me” social media world.

“I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.” (John 17:4)

It can be difficult focusing on that when we care too much of what others think. When we can’t seem to just continue working to accomplish what He has provided us – with the gifts He bestowed upon us.

When our minds drift off, wondering what others see in us, what they think of what we’re doing. It’s hard. Or, we make it hard. And we can lose focus on what matters.
But we don’t have to. Explore the Bible mentions several ways to glorify God in all we do – every single day. A few:

• Praise Him with your lips: “My lips will glorify you.” (Psalm 63:3). The noblest use of our tongues is to give praise to God.
• Seek the good of others: “No one is to seek his own good, but the good of the other person.” (1 Cor. 10:24)
• Give generously: “They will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity.” (2 Cor. 9:13)

So we see, it’s not even what we accomplish with our talents He has given us. Glorifying Him is in our every breath throughout the day. How we treat others. Finding the good in people around us. Realizing what we say and how we approach situations reflects how we glorify Him.
If we stopped worrying so much about what others thought of us, we would be able to live freely through His message in all aspects of our life: in how we reach out to others. The kindness we offer. Through the grudges we don’t hold.

When my friend reminds me – more often than I’d care to admit – to live generously through Him, it sets me back on track in my life. Through my prayer life. My personal life. My advocacy work. It sets my mind back to where it needs to be.

We’re all pleasers to some extent. Some, more than others (are we in this together?). And I believe it’s natural and honest to want to make good impressions, to work hard to meet expectations, but we shouldn’t forget that at the end of the day, it is our Savior and His love for us that matter most.

That everything we do, feel, think, act upon, is not only done according to His will, but to please Him. To glorify Him. And it should serve as a reminder where our focus needs to remain.
Be that honest friend with someone else. Remind them of their worth and value, but also remind them where it should be centered. And then watch them start glorifying in ways that matter most.