My finger- My Purpose

I've discovered something really interesting the last few days. 

We know that our bodies are made up of parts...big parts, small parts...too much cellulite parts, parts that are flabby and parts that are thin. So many parts make up the human body. 

I'm learning that I enjoy my fingers....I know it sounds weird..but I enjoy my fingers.

I use my fingers to type, I use them to play piano, to pick my nose, to button my pants. I use them for quite a few things. I think it's pretty common knowledge that fingers are important. However, did you know how important the SIDE of your finger is? 

Yeah, I didn't either until I did this........

YEP, OUCH

Took a big chunk of skin right off the side of my finger. It bled like a beast and didn't feel great either. But no big deal right? It's the side of my finger after all, it's kinda useless.

WRONG!!

It has been truly amazing to realize how much I actually use this side of my finger. I use it ALOT! In fact, I've been bumping it more times than my pain reactors can handle and it's NO bueno.

Ok, so you're probably wondering why on earth I'm talking about fingers and showing you icky pictures of my flesh gouged hand. You may be confused and a little grossed out, but I have a purpose so hang tight.

My incident with my finger this week reminded me of a very important lesson.

Are you ready?

Here it is..

EVERYONE, whether great or small, has purpose!!!

HOORAY! Life changing epiphany moment!!

Ok probably not. :)

I know for me, as a stay at home mom and wife my life can start to feel pretty mundane, boring or insignificant. The never ending lists of dishes, groceries, dinners, laundry, picking up, and taking care of the kids can just feel down right BLAH some days.

But it's not just a stay at home mommy problem. 

You may be a wife or a single woman in the work field and you still feel insignificant in your role. Sure you may like what you're doing, but there are times when you just don't feel like you're accomplishing what (insert name of an amazingly accomplished person) is accomplishing in life.

You may be a member of your local church body and feel insignificant. I mean sure, you're talented at hospitality, so you greet people at the door from time to time but that's not like the REALLY talented people who are on the worship team or leading a ministry group.

Or maybe you just help out in the nursery once a month. No big deal, changing stinky diapers and wiping away baby drool is less than glamorous when it's your OWN kid, much less someone else's. :)

When you start to feel insignificant, you start to feel replaceable, looked over, or worthless.

But you're not!! 

I've had many roles in my life. Some have had more "spotlight" and glamour than others. I've had these roles in all different seasons too.... Single, Working, Married, Mother......

What I've found, is it doesn't really matter what season, or what your circumstances are, the enemy is going to bring lies to your mind to make you feel insignificant in your role.

Ephesians 2:10 says, "For you are Gods Masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus, to do the good works that God intended in advance for you."

Did you catch that last part?

You were created, to do the good works that GOD himself planned in advance for YOU TO DO!

If you are a single business woman in the work place...God has a plan to use you there.

If you are a young lady in college....God has good works for you to do there.

If you stay at home with kids....God has intentions for you right there.

Right there in the midst of toys and messy highchairs.

In the middle of piles of paperwork and a egocentric boss who mistreats you.

He has plans, when you're on stage with a microphone, or just another face in the crowd.

EVERYONE HAS PURPOSE no matter how GREAT or how small.

1Corinthians 12-14-26

 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

I love verse 23. and 24.."And the parts that we think are less honorable, we treat with special honor."

"But God put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it."

That's good news for those of us who feel insignificant in our roles!!

No one may see, the way you tenderly caress and sick baby's brow.

Or the way you calming handle an irate customer at work.

No one may notice how you run your home to honor God

Or that you vacuum the sanctuary during the week.

But, GOD sees. And he will give special honor to those who lack honor.

You may not be honored by a single soul on this earth for the amazing woman you are...but you will be honored by God.

With the right attitude about our God given roles, we can find great fulfillment in 'doing the good works that God intended for us in advance to do'.

I pray that wherever you find yourself in life today that you will see your roles as important. That you will look on the mundane tasks with purpose and remember that even the things that seem so small are still VERY important.

Don't let the enemy define your contentment in your role as a wife, a mom and woman. But let the truth of God overwhelm your messy places and ignite your purpose in your heart!

Just like the seemingly insignificant side of my finger has usefulness and purpose so do you!

YOU are an amazing woman!!!

and

YOU have amazing purpose!!!

Be Blessed today. :)