It is a Saturday morning and the sun is bright and beautiful. The streets are full of people minding their business. This business includes selling. Everywhere we turn, we will find people selling one thing or the other. Whether it be wares on the roadside with their prices marked down, used items at the flea market or designer items on some high-end street, there is always someone selling something and another buying. And whatever the world puts out for sale, someone is bound to see some good in it and want to buy it. Otherwise, how do we explain the sale of wrecked cars to scrap metal dealers?
As it is with the world, so are we. We are either items put out there for some sort of sale or on the lookout to purchase. Just like the goods, our prices differ depending on the worth we define for ourselves. What we do not know is that at the point of manufacture, during creation, we are all made equal: fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God our creator. We are made precious goods destined for some designer store. Ever noticed how the human traffic on those high-end streets is low? Because the goods on sale there have such a high price only a select few can afford them and thus very few walk that way. That is the street to which we are initially designed for.
Unfortunately, we allow where we are born and the family we land in to define our worth. We allow others to peel off the manufacturer label we came with, take off our price tags and either re-brand us or sell us off-street at a price way below our initial worth. That is what happens when we allow others to define who and what we are, what we are capable of and whether we look good or not. We lose our self-esteem, allow others to walk all over us, to disrespect us and trash us. we die as goods in a junk yard yet we were originally mage designer standards. That is no way to live.
The Bible says that we are not our own, we are bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). A price so high we have no business thinking of ourselves otherwise. It is not the outward manifestation of our lives that defines who we are. It is the inner part of us, the values we hold, the soul that is us. We therefore ought to carry ourselves as worthy beings. Worthy of love, respect, understanding and kindness. We should be ok with receiving these things too. ever noticed how after a compliment, instead of accepting it and appreciating ourselves we try to justify why we should not be complemented, why we are not as good or deserving? We ought to stop and begin appreciating that there is good in us and that others can see it. Next time someone compliments how good we look, a simple thank you will suffice. Knowing our worth is not pride or arrogance, it is simply acknowledging the truth. Anyone who disagrees with that can move on and find the next cheap sale: this one’s worth a fortune and no apologies for that.
Our sense of self-worth defines how others treat us. When someone belittles us or puts us down, they are selling us short of our true worth. When we allow ourselves be beaten, roughed up, molested or sexually exploited, we are taking the valuable goods we are and putting them out there on the streets for a quick sale. Sometimes in relationships, we allow ourselves hook up with anyone who glances in our direction. Why sell diamonds and pearls to someone who is only willing to pay pennies for them? Unfortunately, we treat things according to the value we paid for them. If we are easily available, have no expectations or standards we have set for ourself and if we demand or expect very little for ourselves, then those who pay cheap for us will treat us cheap. We do not buy gold and keep it in our front yard. Instead, we treasure and guard our investments, keeping them safe. In equal measure, nobody will invest themselves in a relationship with us and not honour us. Listen more to the language of how others treat us, not what they say to us. Actions speak louder.
How do we take care of our bodies? By minding what we eat, having regular exercise and adequate sleep. Also, by nurturing our souls through spiritual growth and mindfulness and our minds through reading and seeking new knowledge. Even as we hold others to account for treating us right, the greater responsibility lies with us. It is upon me to define how important I am and do all that I can to live as if I believe in my self-worth. If I love myself and know that adequate sleep is something good for my well-being, I will not allow myself sell short by sleeping fewer hours. I may not buy expensive clothes but I will ensure my choice fits well, is clean and not creased. Our personal choices communicate our sense of worth and they teach others how to treat us. it is okay to treat ourselves and give ourselves good things. In so doing, we send out a message that we deserve good and eventually that is what comes our way.
Growing up, we were told of how we should not tire of working, how our worth is measured by how hard we worked, the number of chores we personally undertook and how tired we were at the end of the day. It is no wonder there grew a generation that grew to loath work rather than enjoy it. Whereas I am a strong proponent of hard work, I also believe in the ability to balance this out with adequate rest to recover and truly live. I have come to appreciate that as important as the destination is the journey itself. Stopping in our pursuit of hard work to rest, recover and play makes us work even better next time a task comes our way. Yay……working hard and playing hard they say! Taking a break is a critical part of self-love and self-care. Equally important is the act of saying NO and turning down requests just to create that balance. We cannot rescue the world and there will always be things to do. Trust me, some can wait and the world will still go round.
As we go around and get busy, let us remember how precious we are. We deserve nothing but the best and may we never again sell ourselves cheap on some street or backyard sale! This package (me) holds some precious cargo so handle with care.
