What Makes You Valuable?

By Lydia Floren

When I meet someone new, I do my best to avoid the fact that I am a physician. (Outside of work, of course. Hard to avoid that fact with a white coat and stethoscope!)  I am not ashamed of my profession – far from it – but sometimes, that “MD” can really be a barrier when I am getting to know someone. For example, I can meet a person for the first time, we will be having a wonderful conversation, discovering mutual interests and telling funny stories, but that all changes if, somehow, it gets out that I am a doctor. It’s like a bomb goes off.  My new friend will get this look on her face, and then maybe say, “Oh. You’re a doctor?” I’ll nod. “A medical doctor?”  I’ll nod again. Silence. Then the questions: “Where do you practice?  What kind of doctor are you? How long have you been doing this?”,  and so on.   In the space of a few moments, I have stopped being a person. I have become a stereotype.

We  all identify one other by our roles, and may value each other based on achievement. But what makes you valuable? Secretly, at our core we each long to be understood and appreciated for who we are, not what we do,or who we know, or how much we possess.

This is exactly the way God values us. We don’t have to posture or pretend. He already knows the “real” us – our essence, our core identity.   He values us – loves us – not because of our performance, but simply because we are. What a relief!  We can finally come in from the cold of competition, and warm our hearts with His loving acceptance. His presence within us enables us to be fully alive, fully ourselves.  And full of joy.

 In Your presence is fullness of Joy. Psalm 16:11 

I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly.  John 10:10

 Man looks at the outward things, but God looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

 I am fearfully and wonderfully made and my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:14

How about you? Do you feel sometimes that your value is based on your achievements or title? Or, the things our culture tells us are valuable? Leave a comment below.