God's Thoughts toward You

What does God think of me? It’s a question that we seldom ponder upon, yet it is one of the most important questions of our lives.

This answer to this question should override the fears that so often plague us and hold us back from our true potential in Christ which, more often than not, comprise other people’s expectations of us i.e. our family, friends and those closest to us.

Not knowing our identity in Christ causes myriads of problems in our lives. These include uncertainty, lack of confidence, depression and instability. Mankind is fickle and if we are to base our worth on others’ estimation of us, we will be miserable because people often do not admire us for who we are, but rather what we can do or what we possess. It is only God that looks at us from above and with all our faults and failures, still pronounces us as “good” and the pinnacle of his Creation.

Christ also experienced this when He walked the earth; one minute the crowds shouted “Hosanna!” but very soon thereafter, the same people shouted “Crucify Him!”(Matt 21:7-9; 27:20-25)

Basically, it comes down to this. We would live happier, healthier and more fulfilled lives if we focused on what God thought of us instead of worrying about what others think of us. Consult God when making important decisions-make Him your number one “go-to person” and when in doubt about how to behave in a particular circumstance, always think: “Will what I am about to do please God?” We seek the approval of our earthly parents so much; why not crave the approval of our Heavenly Father?

When you feel depressed and worthless, remember that the cross is what keeps us balanced. It shows us the horror of our sinfulness, but also how much God loves us despite ourselves.

Don’t make important decisions based on what others will think of you, especially when it concerns your own salvation. There are some matters that should be kept between you and God.

“How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!” Ps 139:17

Who ARE you?

Who are you? This is the fundamental question that each of us has to face on a daily basis, because our identity determines our actions and not vice versa. Usually, when a person is asked this question, their answer usually goes something like this:”My name is _____, and I am [profession].”

 Has the person above answered the question? I would say he has not, because who you are as a person is not defined by what you do. Your profession is only ONE facet of who you really are. This is a common societal problem that is the causative factor underlying undesirable actions like depression and suicide. When someone believes that work or a career is the only yardstick of success, he will have a hard time believing he is of any worth if this is taken away from him even if it happens due to circumstances out of his control. The Bible teaches us that we have intrinsic worth. That means that before you even contributed anything meaningful to society, Christ died for you because He valued you so much that He could not risk losing you forever! (Romans 5:8)

Here are some other scriptures and promises which reveal who you are in Christ:

- God has given you dominion over the earth. (Ps 8:5-6)

-You are a chief sinner, but you are saved through Christ and He is doing a good work in transforming you daily into a saint. (1 Tim 1:15, Phil 1:6, Eph 2:11-20)

-We are all equal and no one can boast as we are saved by grace, through faith and not of ourselves. (Eph 2: 9)

-You are the apple of God’s eye, and whoever wrongs you, also wrongs Him. (Zech 2:8, Ps 17:8)

-You are a son/daughter of Almighty God because you have accepted Christ into your heart. (Jn 1:12, 1Jn 3:1-2, Heb 2:10, Phil 2:15, Gal 4:5-6, 2 Cor 6:18, Romans 8:14-16

-You are the seed of Abraham and joint heirs with Christ (Gal 3:29)

-You are more than a conqueror through Christ who loves you, and nothing can separate you from His love. (Romans 8:37-39)

-You have been given authority by Christ because you believe in Him; through His Spirit you can do even greater works than the ones He did, but remember it’s not in your own strength that you do them. It is strength that God supplies for He does the works. (John 14:12, Phil 4:13)

-You will one day judge angels. (1 Cor 6:3)

-You live by the rules of a different and higher kingdom-the Kingdom of God (Col 1:13)

-You have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16)

-You are being made into a king and a priest of God (Rev 1:6, Rev 5:10), but you are a soldier of the cross. (2Tim2:3-4)

BUT JUST IN CASE YOUR HEAD IS STARTING TO SWELL A LITTLE:

-You have the privilege of denying yourself, taking up your cross and following Jesus. Following Him is not easy and may require great personal sacrifice. (Phil 1:29, 2Tim 3:12, Rom 8:17, Matt 16:24)

-God has a better plan for your life if you surrender to Him.

True Leadership

After having completed reading a book on leadership, I was reflecting on the essence of what true leadership means when my focus was turned to John 13.

Here Jesus washes the feet of His disciples, and even after having done this, none of them offer to do the same for Him. He then contrasts the false concept the world has of leadership to what true leadership entails.

True leadership embodies taking initiative to serve and forgive others instead of waiting on others to serve or apologise to you. It is leadership by example and not in words only.

 True leadership is not about making others suffer the agony by doing all the work so that you can receive the glory i.e. all the credit. True leadership is about the leader sometimes having to bear the brunt of agony and responsibility now, in order to celebrate the glory and victories that come in the future with his followers.

True leadership precedes the title. You don’t become a leader by being given the title. Rather, you are given the title because you are already a good leader. Being a good leader means knowing your identity in Christ, and not regarding yourself as superior to your followers.

"The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them;and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so;but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve." -Luke 22:25-26, read John 13