Value and Significance

I have been challenged in the past few days to look long and hard at myself. (Not always pretty.) I have been thinking about the fear of insignificance. (We all struggle at some point with wondering if we matter, if anyone would miss us if we were gone, if anyone truly notices us when we are here.)

A few years ago, I struggled greatly with trying to find my significance in things or others. It didn't work all that well. I now know who I am and that I am loved and beautiful to God, though there are days when it seems all to easy to give into the fear of insignificance.

The difference in what I feel is challenging me in regards to this fear is how many times I may cause someone else to feel valueless. OUCH! I wonder how often my reaction to something or my tone of voice or my body language conveys to my kids or my husband that they aren't valuable. When Aaron does something in a different way than I would have done it, do I focus and react in such a way that shows I think his way was wrong and dispensable or do I focus on the end result and that he accomplished a task-ultimately for my benefit? When my kids do something that isn't right on, do I lose it and make them feel tiny or do I build them up and encourage them to do better?

It is scary to me when I stop to think about it. I fail miserably at this. I play into other people's fear of insignificance. I have the power to change that. I can help the one's I love most find their value and significance. I have the power to do that with total strangers as well. (The cashier, the waitress, the demanding client, the person who believes they are entitled to anything we can offer them, etc...)

Whose significance and value can you increase today?