Significance

There are times in my life when I felt insignificant. This emotion may be caused by social rejection, or perhaps phone calls or text messages are not returned. Another reason may be people may act like we don’t exist. I remember a few times I went to social functions with my husband. This one woman would look around for someone “more important” to talk with, and when she saw them, she would quickly end our conversation and move on. Finally, I realized this was more an issue of her rude behavior than my significance. Social media not only affects young people’s feelings and perspectives; it can make adults feel insignificant and marginalized as well. We may compare our life, career, and success to others. We don’t always acknowledge what we see is just a glimpse of “perfection.”

Recently I was making my way through a busy airport. There were people and lines everywhere. I felt insignificant while waiting in the TSA, restaurant, and newsstand lines. So many people pass through the airport that no one notices anyone. Everyone passes one another on the way to the next destination.

 I patiently waited for my boarding time. As we were waiting for the door to the jetway to open, the gate agent announced a flight delay. At first, it was just a few minutes, but as the morning wore on, the delays kept coming. The line for the gate agents grew as people wanted to know what was going on and if they would be able to change their flights. If you have ever been in this predicament, trying to get help is an awful and frustrating experience. It seems you just become another person with a problem to be solved. Feelings of insignificance can start to surface.

My husband flies several times a year. He has an airline club membership, and I can use his membership when I fly. On this day, I was so grateful for this enrollment. The pleasant airline representatives in the club are there to help you with any travel needs. They acted as though they cared about me having the best experience I could under the circumstances. I went from being just another passenger to receiving an abundance of assistance. I immediately went from feeling insignificant to feeling as if I mattered.

Sitting on the flight at 30,000 feet, I looked out the window. I could make out the shapes of houses and roads. However, because of the distance, I could not see any details of the world progressing below me. At this moment, I thought about how God is in Heaven, which I always presumed was far from me, but He sees everything about me, not just me, but all of creation. Distance, clouds, or treetops do not cloud his view. The knowledge that God sees me in all circumstances became very real.

What brings a person a sense of significance? Some people find their worth in their career, a house, what car they drive, how much money they have in the bank or invested, or what they wear. Sometimes we are driven by gaining “stuff” to make us feel relevant. The problem is when the feeling of contentment with what we have wears off; our human intuition is to go after more. How much money is enough? How large of a house do you need to own? How expensive of a car do you need to drive? At some point, you must look at your life and see that your significance is not in your possessions. Whatever material object you find great importance in can be gone in a flash.

If I can’t find significance in my things, etc., where do I find it? I can only see my value in God and who he says I am. David praises God, knowing how intimately God knows His creation. God forms every person in our mothers’ wombs, and we are all fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14). God does not stop by just creating us; we are created in his image and for a purpose. God loves us so much that he sent his only son into the world to be born, die, and rise again to forgive us of our sins. (John 3:16). He chose us even before he made the world. God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes (Ephesians 1:4).

Every day we are in a battle with an enemy we can’t see, but he is very real. Satan is the father of lies and whispers the lie that we don’t matter in our ears as often as he can. The Bible points to the truth that we are significant to the Almighty God. We read in 1 Thessalonians that God loves us and has chosen us. That fact alone should be enough to let us see how important we are.

Suppose we base our significance on others’ opinions of us or our abilities. In that case, we will constantly be battling highs and lows in our emotions. We must find our constancy on who God says we are. The Bible says we are justified and redeemed (Romans 3:24). Also, there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Romans 8:17 says we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. Imagine the Prince of Heaven sharing his inheritance with us. Not just allowing it but making the way possible (John 14:6). John 15:15 shows us that Jesus calls us his friends. How can I feel insignificant if the Savior of the world calls me a friend?

The only thing stopping everyone from getting the help I could get that day at the airport was admittance into the club. There is a price to be paid for admission. The only thing stopping all creation from joining God in Heaven for eternal life is bowing hearts, confessing Jesus as Savior and accepting the gift God offers. Although entrance into Heaven is free for us, Christ had to pay with His life, dying for our sins, so that we could gain entry into eternal life with God. We are undeserving and yet God made a way for us to spend eternity with him. How can I feel insignificant with this truth revealed to me?

Along with eternal life, we gain blessings on earth. We gain direct access to God and all the benefits He offers His children. I need never feel insignificant again. My significance is not in myself but God. He is the sovereign God; he has a plan and will fulfill it. God is faithful to complete the good work in us and will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

On that trip, I went from feeling insignificant to amazed that I matter to God. I thought of the amazement of the all-knowing, omnipresent God, knowing the number of hairs on my head. I asked God how He knew everything about me. The return answer was because He is sovereign, omniscient and not far away but so close that through the Holy Spirit, he dwells with me. God’s all-knowing knowledge is not just reserved for believers in Jesus. God knows everything about everyone and loves all of creation. But for those of us who are children of God through salvation, how comforting to know the Almighty God dwells with us personally.

To the world, I am not all that significant. But I don’t care because I am chosen of God, holy and beloved (Col 3:12).

Show someone today how significant they are to you. It may make all the difference in their day.