Realizing Your Value

 

When one hears the word "realize" one usually associates it with discovery.  For instance, "She finally realized how blessed she is."  Another use of the word "realize" speaks of accomplishment.  By example, "He finally realized his dream by starting a business."  The true realization of anything requires both discovery and accomplishment.  The Bible teaches in Matthew 12 and again in Luke 6 the principle that man is known by his fruit.  That which is accomplished brings greater revelation to the value.

Years ago one of my relatives had an apple tree in her yard.  Every year this tree would be absolutely full of apples.  You would think that this tree held great value to the family because of the apples it produced.  However, if you ever bit into one of those apples you would quickly change your mind.  They were the toughest, most bitter apples one could ever imagine.  We used them as baseballs.  Even its value for shade or aesthetic beauty lost out over the fruit that it produced. In fact, the tree is no longer in the yard.  For, while the amount of fruit is important, the quality of fruit is more important.  The value of that tree was ultimately measured by the quality of its fruit.

People enter God's kingdom without really understanding the value God has placed in their life.   

They begin to recognize that value through the teaching of God's word.  This sometimes proves to have a positive and a negative effect on people for this reason:  People discover that they have value in God's kingdom.  Once they realize that, they understand that that value must be put into practice.  They become excited and full of hope that their value is about to be put to use.  Those hopes are quickly dashed because the release of their value into the world around them does not materialize.  At this point, many develop one of two beliefs - either that they actually had no value after all, or, no one cares enough about them to recognize the value that is obviously there.  The usual next step is to become complacent in their Christian walk.

   The truth of the matter is, their 

value has not been realized.

  

It is there and in place, but it has not been brought forth in action.  Those who are around you will only discover your true value by the fruit you produce.  But the key to that discovery lies is in what you are willing to produce.  How you choose to relate to people realizes your value.  How you share your life with others realizes your value.  How you perform on your job realizes your value to the company for which you work.  How you raise and instruct your children realizes the value you hold as a parent.   

How you relate and function among your brothers and sisters in Christ realizes your value in God's kingdom.

Many declare that they are simply waiting for an opportunity to have their value recognized so that they can have room to function.  In reality, the value of an individual is usually recognized because of how they have chosen to function.  I have a friend who is a street musician.  He and his friend can be found almost every evening on a particular spot along Savannah's River Street.  He constantly has a barrage of gifted but frustrated musicians who are waiting to be discovered.  My friend is not simply waiting to be discovered.  He determined that he would use his gift in a place where people would be.  He did not wait for an invitation to perform.  He picked up his instrument, asked the city for a permit and started playing.  The longer he plays, the more people come to appreciate his gift.  Now on any summer evening, you will likely find 10 to 50 people sitting in the square, listening to his music.  His value has been realized to the community.  When he is not there, he is missed.  Even further, as a trained musician, I became intrigued at his chord structure, which is one of his own invention.  As he released his gift into the atmosphere, I realized (i.e. discovered) a value that is missed by most.  I actually paid this street musician to teach me his chord structure so that I could enhance the music God placed within me. His willingness to pursue an action has brought to realization his value.  One thing, though.  He is out there playing when it is hot, when it is cold, when there is a crowd or when the square is empty of passersby.  He plays when he is sick, tired, or sick and tired.  When I asked him why, his reply was profound.  "If I am not here playing, I will lose my spot."

If you are not willing to exercise

the value God placed within you

 in time, you will lose your way. 

 

Your place in life will become unsure and rather than living to thrive, you will begin living just to exist.  I challenge you this week to consider your value.  Consider to whom you extend yourself.  What relationships are you willing to build and nurture?  Where are you demonstrating your value in the body of Christ?  Where are you relating in order to recognize the value of others around you?  

What are you doing to realize your value?

What Do You Believe?

What do you believe?  This is such a simple question, yet it is one of the most important questions you can ever ask yourself.  Most people live their life everyday without stopping to consider exactly what they believe.  I wonder if they would do that if they stopped to consider how much their belief system affects their life?

I actually hesitated writing about this topic because it reminds me of the catch phrase,  "What you believe is what you receive."  For years, ministers of faith, gurus, life coaches, multi-level marketers, and hosts of others have taught it in a variety of forms.  It seems that most of these teachings focus on the message "you can have it" and "you can do it."  This teaching generates a very positive outlook on life -- something that is truly needed.  However, there is something deeper that many people seem to miss.

What you believe does, in fact, determine what you receive.  The reason for this is that 

your belief sets the standard for your life.  

 It directly affects how you interpret life.  Every news article you read is interpreted by your belief system.  Every story you hear and every scripture you quote is measured by what you believe.  Every situation you encounter will be colored by your belief.  Every relationship will be defined by your belief system.  What you believe does not simply determine what you will receive.  It determines how you will live.

Consider.  What you believe about someone determines how you interpret what they say and what he does.  It also determines your response to his words and actions.  If you believe he does not like you, all he has to do is glance your way and he is "giving you a look." 

Even a compliment 

can be received as 

"back-handed" or 

"judgmental". 

Even a compliment can be received as "back-handed" or "judgmental".  If you believe that someone is a manipulator, any gift or gesture of kindness that person offers is immediately suspect.  You will question in your mind, "What is he up to?"  In the same manner, what you believe also determines your response to that person.  You will work to avoid someone who you believe does not like you.  You will take a defensive posture the moment such a person speaks to you.  In so doing, you eliminate much of the possibility for any sort of real relationship to be established.

I recognize that you will encounter people that are mean spirited or manipulative.  Or perhaps they have taken such a posture as a result of measuring people by their belief system.  If you consider that possibility, it establishes for you a means of reaching into their world -- not by violating what they believe, but by giving them the ability to develop a different belief about you.  Over the years I have put this into practice and in so doing, gained access into the lives of people who would normally not give a preacher the time of day.  I often hear the words, "You are not what I expected."  By embracing people without judging them, it is usually not long before I have the opportunity to build a friendship or, as a pastor, help them with their own belief system.

In the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13 tells us: 

"Love never gives up.  Love cares more for others than for self.  Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.  Love doesn't strut, doesn't have a swelled head, doesn't force itself on others, isn't always 'me first,' doesn't fly off the handle, doesn't keep score of the sins of others, doesn't revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of the truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.  Love never dies." 

(From 1 Corinthians 13 The Message)

Is what you believe keeping you from receiving the best from the people that God has placed around you?  God is interested in the complete and total prosperity of your life.  That prosperity is determined by what you give of your life to others.  What you truly give to others is directly affected by what you believe about them.  In short, what you believe determines what you are able to receive.

Take time to assess the different areas of your life.  Consider your everyday situations and the people you encounter.  Ponder the relationships you have with people and with God.  Make a determination to daily look in the mirror and ask the question, "What Do You Believe?"