You Are More Important Than You Realize
It’s notable to mention that it is highly likely that you are more important than you realize. I would venture to guess that your gifts and the roles that you play probably hold far more weight in the kingdom of God than you probably give them credit for. One day when we stand before God and give an answer for how we used our gifts and fulfilled our purpose, it will be exciting to see the magnitude of our influence here on this earth. I believe that God thinks that YOU are a pretty big deal! 😉
As we are coming to the close of a school year, it’s a good reminder for educators, staff, students, and parents alike. I’ve mentioned it before and the same is true now…you might be making a difference in the lives of others without even realizing it.
You and your gifts are necessary
God has given each and every person here on this earth a unique set of gifts and a purpose to fulfill. Each gift and purpose is vital to God’s plan. In fact, the Bible uses the analogy of a body and its different parts to demonstrate this point. Each part of the body is necessary in order for the body to function properly (as God intended), and each God-given gift, role, and purpose is necessary in order for God’s kingdom, or the “body of Christ”, to function properly.
We are the body of Christ, and just as a body has many parts, so does the body of Christ. The parts are placed exactly where God wants them (1 Corinthians 12:18). Our gifts are part of this body. There are a lot of them, and they all have different functions. They all work together as part of a whole. Every part is necessary. We need all of the parts, just like God needs all of our gifts.
“Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well…” Romans 12:4-6 (NLT)
It’s tempting, but unwise, to compare our gifts with those of others
I think sometimes it is so easier for us to look at the gifts and roles of others and compare and shortchange our own gifts and roles. We shouldn’t compare ourselves and our gifts to those of others, and we shouldn’t discount our own gifts that we’ve been given. In fact, the Bible says it’s foolish and unwise to do so…
“…when they measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding and behave unwisely.” 2 Corinthians 10:12 (AMP)
“In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.” Romans 12:4-6 (MSG)
Each person has gifts unique to them, and each gift is vital. Remember the body parts analogy—each part is needed. God has given us different gifts, and we are to use them in conjunction with the gifts that God has given others. Again…like the parts of a body, each working together. One doesn’t try to do the job of another. One part doesn’t wish it was another part. ALL parts are necessary and important. God wants you to know that you are more important than you realize!
No parts or gifts in the body of Christ are more important
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians that we can’t point out one part as better or more important than another NOR say some parts are unnecessary.
“Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:14-27 (NLT)
What can you do with what God has given you?
You are more important than you realize! Maybe you aren’t gifted to stand at a pulpit in front of thousands. Or maybe you have absolutely no desire planted inside of you to travel to third-world countries to be a missionary. That’s okay! God has not gifted or called everyone to do those things.
Your purpose is to focus on what you CAN do with what God has given YOU. What are the gifts that you can use to support the people behind the pulpit or to send missionaries (or send with missionaries) to third-world countries? God has already you placed in a role where you can and should make a difference right now. Your role may seem small in your eyes, but only God knows the TRUE impact you have.
No gift or purpose is too small
No gift or purpose is too small. Even if you aren’t in the public eye or impacting hundreds, you never know WHO you might impact that WILL go on to impact hundreds. Even the smallest parts have the potential to play a major role.
When most people hear the name, Morrow Coffey Graham, they might not know who she is at first. She was a simple wife and mother on a dairy farm. She held a role that others, at first glance, may think seemed minuscule or insignificant. However, their thoughts and paradigm might shift when they hear that she was the mother of legendary preacher, Billy Graham. Billy Graham said of his mother, “Of all of the people I have ever known, she had the greatest influence on me.”[i] She was more important and had a much bigger impact than she probably originally realized. Her seemingly small role has impacted millions of lives.
And maybe you are more important than you realize too. YOU might be influencing the next Billy Graham or Joyce Meyer or even the next local pastor! Your gifts and your role might be those that influence a person who will influence thousands. You might be a “vital organ” so to speak.
You might be a vital organ
I shared this theory of being a “vital organ” (aka: you are more important than you realize) with a friend and colleague of mine. I teach a local community college class called “College Success”. It’s a class that teaches success strategies for both study skills and life skills. I absolutely love teaching it and see tremendous value in the topics. The problem is…not all faculty share my views on the value of the subject matter.
Several years ago, my friend, Tracie, (who was also a professor teaching the same class) was venting her frustrations with me one day. She mentioned that when she tells other faculty members what she teaches they give this look like “Oh”. It’s the kind of reaction that makes you feel completely disrespected, dismissed, devalued, and invalidated.
It’s almost as if their “oh” paired with their facial expressions and slight eye-rolling is saying “Oh…you’re one of THOSE ‘professors’…if you can even call yourself a professor. I suppose you think that’s actually a real class. I feel so sorry for you that you would even consider yourself in the same league as the rest of us who teach REAL college courses of REAL importance and value. You poor, insignificant creature.” They don’t actually say that, but it sure feels like they do with that statement, look, and body language.
You Are More Important Than You Realize–You are a vital organ!
I wish they could understand that there is meaning and value in each and every course, even the seemingly “menial” ones. This particular day that Tracie was venting her frustrations (which I ALSO shared), I told her, “Sometimes the most important stuff though is the most out of sight, hidden or protected stuff…think vital organs. 🙂 That’s what you are…a vital organ!” Essentially I was telling her “you are more important than you realize” or than THEY realize! (1 Corinthians 12:22-24)
Guess what…YOU are a vital organ too!
Take Some Practical Steps to Recognize that You Are More Important Than You Realize:
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First, recognize that you are indeed gifted.
See this post for more info on God gifting each and every person. We talk more about how to discover some of your gifts and purpose in other posts.
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Next, recognize that you and your gifts are a necessary part of a larger body that NEEDS you in order to function properly. Turn Romans 12:4-6 into a positive affirmation:
Verse: “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well…” Romans 12:4-6 (NLT)
Positive Affirmation: “I am a part of the body of Christ, and I have a special function. The other parts need me, and I belong here. I am gifted to do certain things well.”
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Stop comparing yourself
Then, stop comparing your gifts with others’ gifts and stop discounting your gifts and roles.
Remember that even the Bible says it is unwise to compare. Comparing can also cause you to develop insecurities. Read more about overcoming this in this post about 3 Mindsets to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others.
- Finally, recognize that no gift or purpose is too small and that even the smallest parts have the potential to play a major role. You are a vital organ!
You have the capacity and potential to impact COUNTLESS lives both while you’re here on this earth and even after you’re gone. You might do this either directly OR indirectly. Either way…STILL, you are more important than you realize!
Try not to forget it! …And pass it on to others who might forget.
What, if anything, has helped you to realize the potential impact you might have (or have had)? Tell us about it by leaving a comment below.
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If you have benefited from this post or if you know anyone that could benefit from this, please pay it forward and share this post with them via the sharing links below! “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)
[i] BGEA Admin. “Billy Graham on the Prayers and Influence of His Mother.” Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 May 2018, billygraham.org/story/billy-graham-a-tribute-to-his-mother/.
*Updated: Originally posted 5/31/2016
