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Children of God - September 05, 2006
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12
Have you ever sung the hymn "Child of the King?" Isn't that a wonderful thought? Being one of God's children makes us special, gives us confidence, allows us to get up every morning with a sense of purpose and gives believers the assurance of one day being with our father in heaven.
But equally important, knowing we're children of God allows us to see others as God's children. Whether we're controlling high finance from a penthouse office or controlling the furnace from the basement, we're all equal in God's eyes. We're all created by God and deserving of the same respect.
God has instilled in each of us a desire to be recognized as his special creations. That's why I think respect and recognition of others is so important in life and why I've found recognizing and respecting others so powerful.
I use a little phrase that I've found has great power in giving people a lift and helping them strive to be all that God intends them to be. The phrase is just four little words that take a couple seconds to say. But it works wonders. Just say to someone, "I'm proud of you," and you'll see what I mean.
Behind a lot of our hard work is a simple desire to be recognized as the best in our profession, be given a more impressive job title, win an award or see our name in the paper. Everyone appreciates a pat on the back, an "At a boy!" or a "You go, girl!"
I learned quickly in business to appreciate the power of recognizing achievement and how unrecognized achievement kills incentive. Only saints toil for long in anonymity. God created each one of us as a unique individual with our own talents and dreams. He's instilled in each of us an awareness that we're special and are here for a purpose. Recognition encourages our God-given desire to do our best.
That's not to say we should be arrogant or not to heed the proverb that pride comes before a fall. But let's rejoice with pride that, as the Bible tells us, we are "wonderfully made" and capable of achieving wonderful things.
I believe in a God of unlimited potential who empowers people to reach their dreams. So find a reason to tell someone, "I'm proud of you." When your children do something that makes you proud, let them know. If your spouse gets a promotion, use that powerful phrase. If employees or co-workers do a great job, tell them so. Make the effort to use that powerful phrase "I'm proud of you" and discover the difference you will make!
Rich DeVos is the former chairman of Gospel Communications. He is also the author of "Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons for Life," co-founder of Amway Corp., and owner and chairman of the NBA's Orlando Magic.
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12
Have you ever sung the hymn "Child of the King?" Isn't that a wonderful thought? Being one of God's children makes us special, gives us confidence, allows us to get up every morning with a sense of purpose and gives believers the assurance of one day being with our father in heaven.
But equally important, knowing we're children of God allows us to see others as God's children. Whether we're controlling high finance from a penthouse office or controlling the furnace from the basement, we're all equal in God's eyes. We're all created by God and deserving of the same respect.
God has instilled in each of us a desire to be recognized as his special creations. That's why I think respect and recognition of others is so important in life and why I've found recognizing and respecting others so powerful.
I use a little phrase that I've found has great power in giving people a lift and helping them strive to be all that God intends them to be. The phrase is just four little words that take a couple seconds to say. But it works wonders. Just say to someone, "I'm proud of you," and you'll see what I mean.
Behind a lot of our hard work is a simple desire to be recognized as the best in our profession, be given a more impressive job title, win an award or see our name in the paper. Everyone appreciates a pat on the back, an "At a boy!" or a "You go, girl!"
I learned quickly in business to appreciate the power of recognizing achievement and how unrecognized achievement kills incentive. Only saints toil for long in anonymity. God created each one of us as a unique individual with our own talents and dreams. He's instilled in each of us an awareness that we're special and are here for a purpose. Recognition encourages our God-given desire to do our best.
That's not to say we should be arrogant or not to heed the proverb that pride comes before a fall. But let's rejoice with pride that, as the Bible tells us, we are "wonderfully made" and capable of achieving wonderful things.
I believe in a God of unlimited potential who empowers people to reach their dreams. So find a reason to tell someone, "I'm proud of you." When your children do something that makes you proud, let them know. If your spouse gets a promotion, use that powerful phrase. If employees or co-workers do a great job, tell them so. Make the effort to use that powerful phrase "I'm proud of you" and discover the difference you will make!
Rich DeVos is the former chairman of Gospel Communications. He is also the author of "Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons for Life," co-founder of Amway Corp., and owner and chairman of the NBA's Orlando Magic.
