Courage For Today

gifts

You Are Not Damaged Goods

Self-Worth

I was recently shopping around for some new furniture for our condo.  The furniture we’ve had for many years had seen its better days and my wife and I decided that it was time for a change. We traveled from showroom to showroom and gradually narrowed down our choices.

As I was wondering through the various furniture stores, I noticed that most locations had a damaged goods section or clearance area.  There were tables with scratches or damaged corners as well as dressers with missing drawers.  It was a true “land of misfit toys” all at bargain prices.

What really caught my attention was that in every store we visited, the damaged goods section was seemingly tucked away in a corner of the store, or in some hard to find location.  It was as if the rejected furniture pieces were ostracized from the rest of the furniture world.

I can remember many times in my life when I felt alone and separated from the world.  There were times when I felt like damaged goods myself and wondered why.  I tried to compare myself to others and usually felt short-changed or trying to figure out why everyone else seemed to have more going for them than me.  Often, I would become jealous of my friends who were more outgoing or successful.  It was a miserable feeling trying to be someone I wasn’t or trying to live up to a standard that was not meant for me to achieve.  Depression and loneliness became constant companions.

As a Christian, I slowly learned that there is no such thing as damaged goods as it relates to God’s view of us.  In God’s eyes, we are all special.  Each of us has God-given gifts and abilities that make us unique in God’s Kingdom.  My prayer is that you will learn as I did to stop comparing yourself to others and, instead, focus on allowing God to develop your God-given gifts and talents.  Recognize the special creation YOU are in God’s eyes and celebrate with the joy that only Christ can provide.

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A Beautiful Masterpiece of Scribble

Self-Worth

I have thoroughly enjoyed having my Daughter, Son-in-Law, and three Grand-children live with us temporarily.  Since their arrival from China, they’ll be staying with us for a few months until they can get their own place.  It’s been many years since I’ve come home every night from work and had children to welcome me after a long day, but you just can’t beat the Grandkids world of video games and toys to remind you of your true priorities.

There is no way to put a price on learning to love the Grandkids personalities and interests and see the excitement in their eyes watching the latest episode of Sponge-Bob Square Pants.  My youngest Grandson is especially artistic and creative.  He loves to draw and color.  Almost everyday, he will spend time coloring a new page in his coloring book.  Of course, at five years old, the colors don’t always match and he doesn’t always color between all the lines, but he is so proud of his masterpiece.  He smiles from ear to ear when he finishes his artwork and can’t wait to show it to me and everyone that will look.  To the casual observer, it wouldn’t even be noticed, but to me, it’s as beautiful as the greatest Picasso.  My grandson is an extension of me and I couldn’t be more proud, no matter how his artwork looks.  He isn’t worried about how the artwork will be judged.  He isn’t worried what others will think.  He’s just drawing and coloring to the best of his abilities.  In fact, he’s so proud of his handy work that he has taped pictures that he’s colored to his bedroom walls. Most people hang framed pictures and posters; he hangs pages from a coloring book.  It would never be part of Better Homes and Garden decor, but it’s beautiful to me.

There’s a lesson here for me, and maybe for you as well.  Even though he doesn’t even realize it, my Grandson is already using his God-given gifts.  He’s learning that the important thing in life is not necessarily the depth of his preparation, but the willingness to be obedient in starting the work.  I can’t tell you how many times that I’ve felt God speaking to me or tugging at my heart to do something, only to talk myself out of following HIS direction.  I was too worried about being perfect or not being good enough or having everything just right or just simply being afraid of getting out of my comfort zone.  I wanted to make sure I had everything in place so I wouldn’t fail, only to fail because I wouldn’t step out on faith. God has begun a good work in each of us, even when we don’t see it.  HE is proud of us even when we don’t think our gifts and talents are as good as someone else.

Are you feeling less important in life?  Are you at a stage where you don’t feel you’re measuring up to others?  Always remember that what matters most is that you’re obedient.  I can promise you that if you are obedient, your Heavenly Father will be as excited and proud for you as I am for my Grandson, no matter what the World may think.

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Realizing the Significance of Insignificance

Self-Worth

I have to confess that I’m not a mechanic.  Recently, as hard as I tried, I just could not get my riding lawnmower to work properly.  I could crank the engine easy enough and put the mower in gear, but each time, the belt that turns the blade would fall off the pulley.  I would stop and put the belt back on the pulley, only to put the mower in gear and have the belt fall off again.  Over and over again, I placed the belt back on the pulley, only to see it fall off.  I could not figure out why.  It was so frustrating.

After a few hours of working on the mower, I finally noticed a small pin (called a Cotter Pin) that was missing near the pulley.  There was a medal guard that held the belt on the pulley and this medal guard was secured by this small Cotter Pin.  I couldn’t believe that this small, seemingly insignificant, pin was the key to the complete functioning of this huge piece of power equipment.  Here was this several hundred dollar riding lawn-mower, with a smooth running engine, that was rendered useless because of a non-working belt held together by a fifteen cent Cotter Pin.  What I would normally have deemed insignificant was actually tremendously essential.

I don’t know about you, but there are just days when I feel like I’m the most insignificant, meaningless person in the World.  I feel like the little Cotter Pin in my mower.  Maybe it’s a mid-life crisis; maybe it’s the stress of everyday life. Maybe it’s because I don’t seem to have any special skills or talents like some people.  Whatever the reason, there are times when I just feel almost like a failure in life.  I take an inventory of my life and think, “where has all the time gone?”  “What have I really accomplished in life.”  I’m just little old me and the World is so big.  I realize that I am just a little speck of dust in the desert of life.  It’s a true feeling of loneliness and mediocrity.

I believe there are times when each of us feels this way. For me, I have my little pity party and whine and complain and feel sorry for myself.  Then the Lord reminds me as only He can. He draws me closer to Him and strengthens my relationship with Him.  He shows me that the closer I get to Him and His Majesty and Greatness, the more I realize that I really am small, but that there’s nothing to be ashamed of or feel sorry about.  The difference is that in God’s eyes, size doesn’t equate to holiness.

The Lord blessed each of us with various talents and gifts. Some of you may have more visible and vocal talents.  Some of you, like me, may have less noticeable gifts.  The important thing to remember (and I struggle at times myself) is that we can be confident that there are no insignificant gifts and talents in God’s Kingdom.  It doesn’t matter whether I’m a small “Cotter Pin” in the World’s eyes, or the large, attention-grabbing “Mower,” all of the part’s are equally important and must work together in unison to function properly.  I’m reminded that during those times that I feel small, unnoticeable, and worthless in the World’s eyes, I’m large, strong, victorious, and loved in God’s eyes.

Are you feeling like you’re not making a difference? Are you feeling like your talents are not important?  If so, you’re not alone.  Snuggle up to God and be reminded that every gift and talent of every person is equally critical to the Work of the Lord.  Then, thank HIM for the gifts and talents you do have, no matter what the World thinks; hold your head high and serve HIM with a new found confidence and excitement that only God can bring to your life.

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Presents or Presence

Self-Worth

I can understand why the Holidays are sometimes depressing for many folks.  We start weeks before Christmas buying our gifts for friends, family, and loved ones.  Everywhere we go, we hear Christmas music on the radio and in the malls.  We see the excitement (and sometimes fear) in children’s faces when they have that all important chat with Santa.  We are busy planning Christmas get-togethers with co-workers, friends, and family. There is the tremendous build-up before Christmas, then the Big Day comes, and it’s over.  Just like that; it’s over.

Of course, there are many that dread the Holidays because they don’t get to experience any of the things and events I mentioned above so it can be depressing for them not because of the let-down, but because there “never was” to begin with.

For most of us, the few days after Christmas, before New Years, is dedicated to taking down Christmas Trees and ornaments and packing them in the attic until next year.   Or, we might be spending our Gift Cards from our favorite Department Store, or perhaps returning that Sweater that only your great-grandmother would have loved in the 1930’s.  We all spend too much money buying gifts and presents, with good intentions, but most of the time it ends up being more gifts than any of us could possible use or need and, then, its back to life as normal—just with more stuff than when we started.

I have to remind myself on occasion, as a Christian, that there is really nothing I can buy, wrap-up and give to God as a Present.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve certainly tried.  I’ve tried to dress better when attending church.  I’ve tried to give to worthy causes (sometimes just to eliminate my guilt).  I’ve tried to educate myself in certain church classes and doctrines to make others think I was more intellectual.  I have tried to impress others with my Outside Appearance instead of any Inside Gifts I may have.  Before you judge me, you’ve done the same things.  I’m just being honest.  We all try to “wrap ourselves up” with some beautiful wrapping paper so we can give God ourselves in some form of a Present that is as worthless to God as my great-grandmother’s 1930’s Sweater.

What God wants from us is NOT our Presents, but He wants our Presence.  HE created YOU and YOU alone with special gifts and talents to be used in HIS service.  He wants your presence in speaking to others when the opportunity arises.  He wants your presence in touching the life of a young person.  He wants your presence in restoring the relationship with your spouse.  He wants your presence in setting a better example at work.  He wants your presence in reaching others for HIM in only ways that you can do it with the gifts and abilities that God has uniquely blessed you with.

As you look at your Christian Life, are you guilty of giving God your Presents or your Presence?

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