img_0050As I sit down to write this post, I am listening to a song called “Ima Just Do It” by KB. Which is pretty fitting considering I was a little apprehensive, because this one of those moments of vulnerability.  I made a realization (GOD SPOKE TO ME), if I cannot be vulnerable than I am not being true to who God made me to be. I am not speaking of just word vomiting up every intimate detail of my life, but giving light to my insecurities, the characteristics of me that may paint a different picture to what I have allowed people to see.

I often think about myself, about who I am, how I want to be portrayed, and what faults can I hide and what strengths I can magnify. I did this for years and unfortunately this way of thinking led me to forget who I really was, this way of living was a slap in the face of God, the one who created me, who had my name in His heart when He breathed life into me. I had an idea of a better version; a Shawn 2.0 if you will, and I continued to try and update an already perfect creation. I am literally the perfect person for the purpose I have been given and the calling I have answered.

Just like you, there is no one in the world that can complete the work that you were created for, if they could then you would not be needed. Like me so many people get caught up in the world that we seek acceptance in our circles of influences. Whether, it is in our appearance, personality or possessions we tend to have a perfect idea of ourselves to be the most effective at getting others to look at us, i.e. be set on a pedestal.

Honestly, who doesn’t want to be a trophy, look at the Lombardi Trophy, 32 football teams spend weeks, literally beating each other in order to kiss that trophy after the Super Bowl. Our flesh love attention, we want to be sought after and adored. The tragic part to all of this is that we are adored and sought after, but this person does not appease our worldly affection; even more this person gave us more than any other person living or dead. This person is Jesus, He sees who we truly are and loves everything about us, our appearance, personality, our intrinsic characteristics and would never want us to change.  Our value comes from God, we are irreplaceable, we are one of a kind and priceless. Look at the Mona Lisa, she is probably the most recognizable portrait in the world. Everyone knows that she is one of a kind and priceless, there have been fraudulent replicas, but there is only one Mona Lisa. If you had her in your possession and wanted to sell her you would get a huge sum of money, but you would never get the amount she is worth. The same goes for you, you can try and create a replica, a better version, you can sell yourself to others for a certain value, but you will never receive what your worth.

God our creator knows our worth, we are priceless, we were created for a purpose that no other person can fulfill and I for one have wasted too much time already selling myself to the world at a bargain bin price. I have put too much effort trying to impress others in order to be place on their pedestal of acceptance and adoration. I have constantly tried to hide parts of my personality, characteristics and attributes in order to make a better version of me. My version cannot fulfill the call I have in this life, only the original, priceless and irreplaceable version can.

My prayer is that all who read this, know that you are loved and adored by the one who made you. There was not a mistake, God did not use leftover parts nor did He forget to include something when you were created. When we see the love that God has for us, then we will then realize just how special and needed we are in the world. What makes us so unique is what is on the inside of us, our heart, our affections, our soul. What is going to change the world, is not your appearance or your bank account, it is what God created inside you. See your worth and GO CHANGE THE WORLD.