because I am HIS daughter

I went out to lunch yesterday with a man who I have known for most of my life. He was a youth leader of mine when I was in junior high, and he was one of the key people God used to draw me out of fear and chains as I moved into high school and beyond. We have developed a close relationship, and I love to spend time with him whenever I am back from school. So yesterday was one of those times to catch up.

I am working at Spectra Lux Corporation this summer. My dad works there as a manager. It is a pretty small company, and people talk. A lot. Yesterday, some of my coworkers ended up going to the same place as I did for lunch, and they saw my friend and me there. It was kind of hilarious. They saw us, assumed certain things, and my lunch date was the talk of the town when they got back to work.

I was talking to my dad today about how funny it is that everyone at work knows everything about everyone. Gossip spreads faster than the paychecks get handed out. I mentioned to him that I thought it was funny that the particular coworkers who had seen me at lunch had come back and talked about it. They didn't even know me, so I wondered why they would give it a second thought. When I said this to my dad, he responded, "Well, they know you because you're my daughter." This response struck me. I realized at that moment how powerful this idea was in the bigger picture with my Heavenly Father.

I want my life to be significant because of this type of association. I want my actions to be weighed based on this truth...the truth that I am HIS daughter. The decisions I make, the people with whom I associate, the places to which I go all have significance because I am marked. I don't want the things I do to have significance because of the fact that everyone knows me and loves me, and I don't want to go unnoticed, either. But I want people to watch me, to care about what I do, because of the simple truth that I am HIS. What I do reflects something about HIM.

Just like this situation with my coworkers and lunch, people can see things from an ignorant point of view or form opinions and thoughts on my actions based on their own preconceived ideas. They may not understand the things that I am doing. And I think that this is a highly important idea to consider because of the significance that I am, in a way, representing Almighty God to them. This situation shows me, not that it doesn't matter what others think of me or that I should only do things to be perceived a certain way, but that I need to have solid, intentional communication and sound actions. I need to remember that people are watching--not letting that dictate my decisions, but realizing that there might be some explaining that is necessary for people to get it correctly.

"What can I do
How can I live
To show my world
The treasure of Jesus"

Let my life, oh Lord, praise You.