“Sometimes when the bell rings and the halls fill with students, I wonder do I even matter, does anyone even see me?” shared my youth student. We can often feel like an insignificant number lost in a large crowd of people. I remember being her age and asking the same question, and in all honesty every time I face a new sea of people or circumstances and I’m overwhelmed by the masses, my heart still often gets stuck in that gut wrenching question, “Do I matter?”
God created us with a longing, an ache to feel significant because by His design our desire to matter puts within us a search that only He can meet. He longs to fill us with His love and confidence, to speak worth and identity to our hearts, to show us our significance and to be our source of security.
The weight of words matters more depending on the source. I recently told my daughter her spring contest solo sounded lovely, but since I can’t sing a lick it didn’t mean near as much to her as her choir teacher telling her that it sounded strong and clear. Why? Because her teacher is the expert. When I told my son he had a great football game, but he knows I have a hard time even remembering the names of the positions he’s tried teaching me numerous times, it doesn’t mean as much as when his uncle (a past player and coach) tells him he made a good play. Why? Because his uncle is an expert. He knows what he’s talking about. He’s qualified and knowledgeable, so his encouragement rightly holds more weight. Who are you looking to, to answer your question, “Do I matter?” Who are you looking to, to tell you that you have significance, importance, beauty, intelligence, talent or worth? Do they have the wisdom, insight, and the true knowledge of who you are to answer that question?
“O Lord, you have examined my heart and you know everything about me…You know my thoughts…You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say before I say it.” (Ps 139:1-4). God knows all things about you, your actions, your thoughts, your words. He’s the expert on you. Nobody else in all of creation can know you in this much depth. He is your designer. He took great thought and care knitting the person you are together. Your appearance, your passions, your talents, your temperament were all part of a purposeful significant design that PS 139:14 calls wonderfully complex and marvelous workmanship. You matter because the expert creator of the universe took great care in making you exactly the way you are, every delicate detail. “You watched me as I was being formed…You saw me before I was born.” (Ps 139:15,16) God’s eyes alone could see every part of your being as it was forming in your mother’s womb. You matter because God has been watching you and paying close attention to you before anyone else even knew you existed. You are seen. The psalmist describes trying to hide in darkness, in the farthest ocean, in the depths of the grave or in highest heavens but he says “even there you are with me”. “I can never get away from your presence.” (Ps 139:7) You matter because God’s presence is with you.
“Everyday of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day passed.” (Ps 139:16) Not only is how you were made and who you are as a person significant but what you have done, are doing, and will do are significant. They are part of the plan of God, part of his grand design. You have significance and a part to play in each place and to each person God sends you to. You matter because God took great care to lay out every detail of your life.
“How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!” (PS 139:17) You matter because you are always on the mind of God. The all powerful all knowing creator of all that is seen can’t stop thinking about you, and his thoughts toward you are filled with fondness not frustration.
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