Love Outweighs Applause

If you are anything like me, you’re tempted to believe that your self-worth and success heavily depend on the work you produce, the number of medals hanging on the wall, or the magnitude of your last achievement. Though there are no awards to be won for the stay-at-home mom, the need to strive still exists for me. Countless times, I’ve felt like I’m not accomplishing enough and the desire to prove my worth through performance runs deep.

Today, I was graciously reminded of a truth I had somehow forgotten. And that is, that our most impactful and lasting work is often the work that goes unnoticed by the world. It's the work that only God sees—the giving of ourselves, the sacrifices we make, the burdens we quietly help carry.

Our culture may reward productivity and visibility, but God values something far deeper. Though it’s good to pursue excellence and set personal goals, we weren’t created to live lives centered only on ourselves. We weren’t meant to build our own kingdoms, but rather build upon the love God has shown us, using it to lift others up.

God is not primarily looking at how much we accomplish here on earth, but at the state of our hearts. He sees the small things: when we hold the door open for a stranger, sacrificially give to someone in need, speak a kind word, or choose to love when it’s hard. The world may never applaud those movements, but God sees. And what we don’t receive credit for here, we will be rewarded for one day.

I was encouraged today, as I hope you are, to not only chase the next achievement for myself, but to pour into others in ways that may never be recognized. This is honorable and holds significant value.

As I take my eyes off of myself a little more, I’m reminded that serving others produces a joy that a fleeting sense of accomplishment never could.

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” -Romans 12:10