Women’s Connect October Devotional
Enjoy this devotional, written by Toni Lampley. May you be encouraged and know your worth because you belong to the Lord! Thank you, Toni, for sharing this wonderful word with us!
This week, I had a conversation with a young woman. To me, she’s beautiful. Her strawberry blonde hair, light eyes, soft demeanor, and hope on her face as she gets ready to start a new journey. I told her how important she was to the world and to God. I shared scriptures about us being children of God, (John 1:12), and a few of God’s promises laced throughout the Bible. She displayed the most kind, polite face. No smile or look of agreement. So, I asked her, “How do you feel about what I am saying?” She replied honestly, “It is hard to take it in…no one has ever told me I was important.”
The
re it was. That thing my stomach does when I’m face to face with someone who doesn’t see their value. It’s a feeling of empathy. There was no time to talk anymore. I went away in prayer asking God to water the seed that was just planted.
Last week, it was my job. Tucked away in our state government is the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Services. We are a small but mighty group. Commissioned to help Iowans in need and we are a safe place for those who wish to volunteer, and we connect them to the organizations that need them. I serve in mentoring. I have the pleasure of getting a 30,000-foot view of our children statewide. My job is to support and strengthen mentoring programs across the state. Currently, my focus is on those young people affected by opioid addiction in rural areas, and African American youth. Statistics showing us, these young people in our state are below the national average in reading, math, and are more likely to be homeless, drug addicts, vulnerable to human trafficking, and less likely to go on to have a post-secondary education.
Wh
en God blessed me with this job, I noticed my colleagues self-awareness. All of us know how we think, how we feel about each other and our responsibilities, and what motivates us. No one is afraid to be who they are. I found out my first month on the job, I was there because I have value. I’m needed for all the things I am. Just like the young woman I met this week; I had never been in a job where my value was nurtured. Prior jobs were filled with office politics, insecurities, and people-pleasing. Nope. Not this job. I must accept my value. It’s needed.
Jesus started his ministry in his thirties. He had done nothing regarding ministry and yet the first day on the job, the day he was baptized, scripture says God was “well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17). This term “well pleased” if we studied it carefully, truly means chosen. I believe Jesus saw his value and realized he was chosen. You, too. Me, too. (1 Peter 2:9). We are important to this world and to God. More days than not…why don’t we believe that?
The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10). How does he do that? He tempts and manipulates. He starts in the mind and knows actions aren’t too far behind. Now the enemy knew God was pleased with Jesus, and all parties knew Jesus was chosen, the Messiah. In preparation for the ministry, the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted. After forty days and forty nights of fasting, the enemy tempted him. First, the enemy tried performance – telling Jesus to turn stones to bread to relieve his hunger. Then, the enemy tried possession – telling Jesus to use his power and command the angels to come to his aid as his physical body weakened in the wilderness. Finally, the enemy tried popularity – telling Jesus if he wanted to be known to the kingdoms of the world, bow to him. Through these temptations, Jesus trusted the Father. An example to us that there is value in being ourselves and building a relationship with our Father in Heaven. There is nothing we can do, nothing we can buy or gain, and we don’t need the world’s approval to be called children of God. When we accepted Jesus as Lord and savior, God was well pleased. Chosen. Now, go run the race marked out for you in Jesus name. Go build a relationship with God all your own because you are needed.
If God wanted some type of government, he would’ve built it. Instead, he built a church within His people. We are designed with all our imperfections, to be empathetic, compassionate, and loving human beings to win souls to Christ. (Matthew 28: 16-20). We are designed to be relatable, reliable, and intentional for the lost and in each other’s lives. Stop trying to be someone you are not, think you have to prove yourself to a world that wouldn’t know a person’s worth without materialism, and it’s ok if no one liked your social media post.
What matters is I met someone who needed to hear she was important. That God has predestined her to do great things on earth while she is here. What matters is I have purpose in my work. For those working with young people to see their value. I pray my words are contagious. Hoping what I say to mentoring coordinators shows up in the lives of the young people they serve.
Jesus did it, too. It is found throughout the Bible. But this is my favorite spot (John 13:1-5) to be reminded:
“It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Dear Heavenly Father, may we realize and embrace our value so we can love and serve those around us because they need us to show them YOU are the greatest reward.
