Watch Me, Watch Me!

This morning, my little one picks up his guitar and starts strumming and squeals, "Watch this, Mama! Watch this!" I turn to watch and he starts singing, playing and dancing simultaneously. Then on the way to school, we are walking our older brother and sister to class, and he again squeals, "Watch this Mama! Watch this!" I turn and say, "What little man?" He begins to gallop with a very proud look on his face.

I'm sure he has picked up this little phrase from his older brother and sisters but he just all of a sudden began using it and it took me by surprise. It also got me thinking...

We sure do start at a young age caring soooo much about recognition and attention from other people. We want to be seen. We want to achieve. We want others to like us, approve of us, attend to us. What's amazing is how all too often we don't grow out of this infantile behavior. Maybe our parents screwed us up :) Maybe they didn't look at us enough when we screamed, "Watch me, watch me!" Or maybe its just a human response. We just inately want others to recognize us and admire us.

I know when I look at my toddler making this seemingly innocent request of his mother that it reminds me of how often I act like that in my own life. I want people to know all the great things I've done, I want others to see all that I've accomplished. But Jeremiah 9:23-24 reminds us that we should be living differently:

"Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches. But let him who boasts, boast of this, that He understands and knows Me. That I am the Lord who exercises loving kindness, justice and righteousness on the earth. For I delight in these things," declares the Lord.

Yeah, its nice when someone notices something I've done, or compliments me on a thought I've had, or how well behaved my children are but those things don't matter most. If I'm walking through life waiting for people to recognize the "things" in my life that I do, say, own or create I'm going to end up living a very empty life. When I recognize this, stop myself when I start caring too much, and realize that only in God do I find my security and significance, real growth can take place. Instead of being so busy, walking around going, "Watch me, watch me" I am made free to be who I was created to be.

What is it in your life that you find yourself grasping for significance and security in? Possessions, money, prestige, titles, house, relationships? Those things fail us every time. Only One is worth boasting in. In Him is found true significance.