YOU ARE ESSENTIALMy friend Brian is (well, was) a high-ranking Sales Executive with a nationwide corporation.  He received an email today informing him that he was being laid off.  The reason?  The company’s revenues are down, and he has been deemed to be “non-essential.”

How many people over the last few weeks have been informed – by email, or phone, or in person – that they are “non-essential?”

You and I are not what we do.  Our worth is not rooted in our jobs.  Our value lies in Something far deeper and more eternal than our occupations.

Just because someone slaps a label on you that says you are “non-essential” doesn’t mean that they get to determine your worth or importance as a person.  It also doesn’t mean that you have to accept that as your identity.

not good enoughThat goes for any label that people want to throw on you:

  • “She’s really high-maintenance…”
  • “Boy, he’s a handful!”
  • “She’s so difficult!”
  • “He’s hyper-active.”
  • Loser.
  • Worthless.
  • Nobody.

You don’t have to identify yourself according the labels others give you.  Labels don’t define you, anymore than work defines you.

There is Another who defines who you really are.  One who has assigned other labels to you – true labels, accurate labels.  One in whom your identity and value as a person are eternally secure.  And here is what He has to say about you:

Romans 9-25“I’ll call the ones they called ‘Nobodies’ and say to them ‘you are My dear Somebodies’; I’ll call the unloved and make them beloved.  In the place where they yelled out, ‘You’re nobody!’ they’re calling you ‘God’s living children.’ ”  –Hosea 2:21-23 & Romans 9:25-26

“I have loved you with an everlasting love, and I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”  –Jeremiah 31:3

“For the Father Himself loves you…”  –John 16:27

“Behold what manner of love the Father has lavished upon us, that we should be called the sons and the daughters of God – for that is who we are!”  –1 John 3:1

For those who have trusted in Jesus as their Savior, “The Spirit of God Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”  –Romans 8:16

“For You, oh Lord, created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made….  My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place….  Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”  –Psalm 139:13-16

“How precious to me are Your thoughts, oh God!  How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber all the grains of sand in the world – when I awake, I am still with You.”  –Psalm 119:17-18

You MatterIf you do not know the One who thought you up, the One who knit you together, body and soul, in your mother’s womb…  If you don’t know what He thinks of you, or what His purpose for your life is…  You can ask Him.  Humbly and openly – you can simply ask Jesus – and He will respond.

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”  –Jeremiah 33:3

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”  –James 1:5

Search for His purposes for your life in His Word, and His promise is that He will reveal these things to you!  Here are a couple of places to start:

  • Psalm 16:5-11
  • Jeremiah 29:11-14
  • Mark 12:30-31
  • John 17:3
  • Ephesians 2:10
  • 1 Timothy 2:3-4
  • 1 John 5:20
  • Revelation 21:3

You were made to know God, love Him, and live abundantly in His love.

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My wife, Dianna, and her dear friend, KJ, were discussing this yesterday, and they suggested I write an article about this to share with whomever may find it.  I want to credit them and thank them for inspiring this post!