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Celebrating Your Significance

In A World Lacking Recognition

Some of the greatest people in history have struggled with people and circumstances challenging their significance.  In 1 Samuel 16 we find the prophet Samuel coming to Jesse’s house to anointing the next king over the nation.

David’s own father negated him the opportunity to be in the lineup.  David’s seven older brothers were brought before the prophet.  Only after God would not release Samuel to anoint any of these seven young men did Jesse admit that there was yet another son.

I submit to you that Jesse, David’s own father, may have actually been a little ashamed of his son.  Imagine the following items.  First, David was a redheaded, light-skinned boy (ruddy –v.12) in the midst of a dark haired, olive-complexioned society.  Second, while all the other boys may have been interested in girls and sports, David was totally content to be out with those stinky sheep and playing his harp all the time making up crazy songs.  Then, he would come in ranting about how he had killed a lion or a bear – with his bare hands.  Jesse probably thought, “Okay, this is my son.  I love him, but this is one weird kid!”

A father is the most important person in ones life to speak words and make gestures of affirmation.  I wonder how it made David feel not only be considered eighth-string, but wasn’t even going to be in the game as far as his father was concerned?

God knew David’s significance.  He also knows yours beloved.  No matter how greatly or inadequately you have received affirmation of your personal significance from those closest and most admired by you rest assured that your Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ, is well aware of WHY you are in the earth.

We have a generation today that is treading water in life – going nowhere fast – because they are struggling with their own significance – their personal importance in the earth.  God spoke to Jeremiah and acknowledged his significance: “Before you were formed in your mother’s womb I knew who you were and I ordained you to be a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).  This generation that I have referred to is not confined to this contingent problematic situation because of their chronological age.  I minister to many adults and senior citizens who have struggled through life feeling inadequate, unproductive, and lost because of their not being acknowledged as SIGNIFICANT!

 I want to share some principles that the Lord has revealed to me from the scriptures on how you can celebrate your own significance in a world that doesn’t recognize it!

1.    You have got to be aware of your significance even if no one else       

     is.

Joseph – Where I am is not where I am going to be.
David – I am leading sheep today, but my destiny is to lead a nation.

There are times that people will cheer you on and pat you on the back.  However, you can’t live your life by popular opinion.  The cheerleaders will not always be there.  1 Samuel 18:6,7

There are times that you will have to encourage yourself in the Lord.  1 Samuel 30:6

2.    Hone your skills.  Your giftings are your significance.

Proverbs 18:16 – a man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.

1 Peter 4:10 – Every person has a least one gift.

1 Corinthians 14:1b – “…desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy” (NIV).  There are gifts that can be ACQUIRED simply because of DESIRE.

1 Samuel 16:18 – It was David’s giftings that brought him before Saul.

It was Joseph’s giftings that brought him before Pharaoh.

3.    NEVER discredit the significance of others no matter their position in life.

Do not underestimate someone else’s conflict.  A person’s present station in life may not be their continual place in life.  Never look down on someone because of where they are.  That janitor may be the one who tells the president of the company about you.

NEVER think someone insignificant because of his or her status.

Genesis 41:9 – a butler spoke of Joseph and in a matter of hours Joseph was the second highest man in the nation.

1 Samuel 16:18 – a “servant” told king Saul about David and in no time at all David was brought from the sheep field to the king’s house!

You will be before thousands what you are before a handful.

4.        Wait on God while operating in your giftings.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO EXALT YOURSELF.

There is a major difference between being COCKY and being CONFIDENT!

Cocky is the promotion of self for the benefit of self alone.

Confidence is the promotion of purpose, destiny, and ability.

Psalms 37:34  --   “      Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it” (NIV).

Luke 14:11 – “            For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (NIV).

1 Peter 5:6  --  “           Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (NIV).

5.        Significance is never divinely recognized in LAZY people!

The people called of God from the ranks of obscurity to the positions of history-makers were never LAZY.  God called hard-working, entrepreneurs to do His bidding.  He acknowledged their significance.

q    Moses was keeping sheep when he saw the burning bush.
q    Gideon was harvesting grain.
q    Joseph was directing the very prison in which he was incarcerated.
q    Samuel was ministering to Eli.
q    Saul was tracking down his dad’s runaway donkeys.
q    David was keeping his father’s sheep.
q    Elisha was plowing a field when Elijah called him.
q    Peter was cleaning his fishing nets.
q    Matthew was keeping the IRS books.

Deuteronomy 28:1-2, KJV
"And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: (v2)  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake (Hebrew implies pursuit and reaching for something; NIV is a bad translation here) thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. 

If you are not busy in life then you disqualify yourself from the Deuteronomy 28 blessings.  These blessings are “overtaking” blessings, not “plop down on me” blessings.

Proverbs 5:15, KJV -- Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.

Drink water from the wells you have dug yourself.

THE RIGHT OF BURDEN-BEARING

Galatians 6:2, KJV -- Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:5, KJV -- For every man shall bear his own burden.

6.    Do not limit yourself.  Your significance may be multi-faceted.

The description of David according to Saul’s servant in 1 Samuel 16:18 –

1.      Cunning in playing.

2.      Mighty, valiant man (strong and efficient)

3.      Man of war

4.      Prudent in matters (understanding – says the right thing at the right time)

5.      Nice looking (use what your momma gave you)

6.      The Lord is with him (anointed)

Adam was given multiple rivers that fed into his life at the Garden of Eden.

q   First – Pison – Hebrew – INCREASE.  It flowed into the land where there was gold.  Gen. 2:10

q   Second – Gihon – Hebrew – BURSTING FORTH.  Implies the ANOINTING.  The place where king Solomon was crowned.  AUTHORITY!

q   Third – Hiddekel – Hebrew – RAPID.  The suddenlies of God.  The NOW-TIME moves of God.

q   Fourthly – Euphrates – FRUITFULNESS.  The fruition of every seed given to man by God Himself.