“In all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 4:11

Children are often asked the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?” I remember my daughter proclaiming at one point that she wanted to be a doctor. Though our kids have big ideas about what they want to be, as parents, all we really want for them is to live out their purpose.

So what’s our purpose? Ultimately, God created us to interact with Him forever: to commune with Him, worship Him, and serve Him. Whatever we do, we do it because we are from God. We live in Him, and He lives through us. 

In Luke 21:1-4, we see what really matters to Jesus. When He was in the temple, He looked up and saw rich people throwing in large amounts of money into the treasury. Then, there was a widow who put in two small copper coins. “This poor widow has put in more than all the others,” He said. “All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Jesus saw her heart. 

We tend to gravitate towards finding our worth in the world’s definition of success: in our occupations, our degrees, the size of our houses, and the size of our bank accounts. But our significance doesn’t come from these things. It’s in how we live our lives as we discover who God is, and who we are in Him.

When our hearts are given over to God, He is glorified. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding me that I have worth and am valued far above anything I could ever do or accomplish. I want to know You more, and become more like You. May You be seen in everything I do. Amen.   

Take Action

Often times we neglect how valuable a simple act of kindness like a smile or a “hello” is.  This week, whether it be at Starbucks, the gym, or in your local grocery store, try and make it a point to release God’s love and kindness through a simple gesture. It’s amazing how something so small can mean something so big to someone!