You Have It in You! by Sheryl Brady

Author:Sheryl Brady
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Howard Books

CHAPTER SEVEN

MORE THAN A MAID

DO YOU EVER FEEL AS IF WHAT YOU DO EACH DAY doesn’t really matter? Whether it’s staying at home with the kids or calling on new accounts, babysitting or acquiring a multimillion-dollar business merger, at some time or another most people begin to wonder if what they do makes any difference in the world. Maybe we know it matters, but it’s just hard to keep our worth in mind as we answer e-mails, return phone calls, pay bills, change diapers, and do chores around the house.

On the other end of the spectrum, have you ever met someone who thought too highly of him- or herself? Someone who demanded star treatment? Have you ever met someone famous who seemed to have an air of entitlement? I’ve been privileged to meet some unique dignitaries through my ministry, and what I’ve discovered is that really successful people are usually down-to-earth, humble, and respectful. On the other hand, I’ve met a few people on their way up who acted as if they were entitled to have the world bow at their feet.

You know the kind—the impeccably groomed man in the dark suit demanding the best table in the restaurant. The beautiful young woman in designer clothes who refuses to speak to the housekeeping staff at the hotel. The meeting manager who bullies others in the boardroom. The person who cuts in line in front of you at the airport. The person who brushes past you in the department store.

I’m guessing most of us would never identify ourselves as that person, but I’m convinced we all act entitled sometimes. Just as we often fail to realize that what we do each day matters, we often try to make the world bend to our will. In either case, the cause is the same. Whether we’re thinking too highly of ourselves or not highly enough, the problem stems from misplacing our identity. Instead of celebrating the unique and wonderful people God created us to be, we tend to focus on what the world tells us to look at—externals, titles, money, success, fame.

All of us are tempted to place our identity in things—I call them “stage props”—instead of realizing who we are as God’s children. Maybe it’s the title on our business card or the size of our corner office. Maybe it’s the part of town we live in. It could be the school our kids attend or the church where we worship. And, of course, there are always the stage props of success: designer clothes, luxury cars, beautiful shoes, and the latest tech gadgets.

It’s amazing how certain accomplishments can cause us to have a certain sense of self-importance. However, sometimes the most important people are the ones who don’t get the credit. The people who serve behind the scenes or quietly lead without fanfare. The people who treat everyone the same regardless of what they’re wearing or their net worth. Sometimes we are these people, on the opposite end of the spectrum from those at the top.

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