God sees you

Personal Photo: taken by Shannon Deppen in Rice Lake, Ontario Canada

Just like everyone else does when a year comes to a close and we approach a new one, I set some resolutions for myself. Some of them for 2022 were more focused on pinpointed things that I wanted to make time for, like reading at least one book every month or going to sleep earlier. Others, which are what I tend to make more of, are a bit arbitrary, as they focus more on internal growth and being able to develop myself into a person closer to God. Some of these include, being more grateful, going out of my way to give to others, and demonstrating grace more often. I understand that usually the end of September is not the time to be reflecting on my New Year's goals, but since Autumn really marks the shift to the end of the year, I thought it would be appropriate. Additionally, it seems to me that one of my biggest pet peeves in regard to my goals has continued to pop up recently.

Clay and I had a conversation yesterday about his work and some of the new procedures they are talking about, and when he was telling me that he tried to get a coworker to enforce the rules that were put in place, their response was 'If I start enforcing it for one person, I have to do it for everyone.' Clay's coworker's response was infuriating to me. Of course, you should enforce the rules for everyone. Isn't that why rules are put into place? Why would you make a rule if you were not going to make sure people follow it? Now, you might be wondering why this bothers me so much. It really might not be that big of a deal. While that may be true for some people, I have never been a rule breaker and it bothers me when people know they are doing something wrong and do not care. I worked hard in school and sports, took all the honors and AP classes, turned in my homework and showed up to classes on time, followed the rules, and tried to listen to the instructions and follow them to a tee. It makes it hard to accept that people get away with purposely doing something wrong or not putting their best effort in when I had always done my best. Why do it if you are not going to do your best? Regarding the coworker's answer, it makes me wonder what it is teaching the people who are following the rules and what incentivizes the workers to follow important procedures put into place.

When I was in high school, the school put into place a reward system. The idea was that if a teacher saw a student was working hard, they would get a ticket. If they saw a student help another student, they would get a ticket. If they saw a student was on time for class after being repeatedly late, they would get a ticket. Once you got three tickets or more, you could turn them into the office for a reward, like a small gift card, or being able to leave a few minutes early. I am assuming that it was to teach people the value of following the rules and emphasizing good behavior instead of poor behavior. The idea might have had solid groundwork laid for it, but the problem is that they were rewarding kids for doing the things they should have already been doing. They were not punishing a student for being repeatedly late but rewarding them for following the rules and being on time. Following the rules is a standard, and it is frustrating to me when someone gets rewarded for finally not breaking them. I was taught to help others, even when a teacher is not looking. I was raised to turn in only my best work, even if I do not succeed. I was taught the value of working hard and how much you learn from it.

This is my problem with what Clay's coworker said. This is my problem with the system my high school put into place. My teachers never handed out tickets to their students; we were not rewarded for working hard because we were working hard before they were trying to incentivize people. I am sure it probably helped some kids learn the value of being kind and putting in effort, but it did not reward the ones who already were, and instead put us at a disadvantage because we did not get any tickets to redeem for a prize. We did not get rewarded for doing the things we were supposed to be doing. Instead of enforcing the rules put into place, you are punishing the ones who were already following them. Just like Clay's coworker, his statement disincentivizes the workers who do what they are supposed to and lets the ones who break the rules slide by without any repercussions.

My point in sharing all of this with you is that it can often feel like no one sees you when you are working hard, following the rules, helping others, and doing your best. When I was helping another student, there wasn't a teacher around to reward me for it. When you are putting in extra hours at work, there might not be anyone who thanks you or acknowledges it. When you are enduring teasing and bullying and do not let the cycle continue with you, people might not even notice. When you go out of your way to accommodate others, you might end up feeling used and unappreciated. When you are doing the things that are right in God's eyes and seen as 'outdated,' 'boring,' or 'old-fashioned' in today's society, it might feel like no one values your effort. I want this article to be a reminder to you that God sees you. Genesis 16:13 tells us clearly that "You are the God who sees me!" He sees the effort you put in, the time you donate, the thoughts you make obey Christ, the right decisions you make, the grace you give, the helping hand you lend, and more. He notices how you act, even when no one else does.

I am sure we can all think of a time or two when we went out of our way for something, when we put in extra time to be giving, when we chose patience over frustration. Most of these instances in our lives are not when there is an audience, a reward to turn tickets in for, or a pat on the back given afterwards. No, instead it can easily be swept under the rug, forgotten about, or ignored. In these instances, when we feel like the time, the extra energy it takes, and the effort are put in for nothing, we can remember that God is with us, and He loves us and notices our effort every single time. Proverbs 15:3 says "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good." He sees our efforts, just as much as He sees the lack of effort in others. Just like we never need to feel lonely when we appreciate God's presence with us, we also never need to feel useless and unimportant. We have been called by God to share His love and grace, regardless of who is watching us. We never know whose life we might impact when we are generous, forgiving, and kind. We never know what soul we might inspire when we strive to be like Jesus in everything we do. My mom always says that she can afford to be gracious. She is right, and we can all afford to be gracious, considering the grace God gives us every day.

I think it is important to understand that staying humble is a key part of spreading God's light; we do not do God's work for recognition here on earth, but instead we do it to give glory to God, to demonstrate how His love and grace has impacted our souls, and to represent Him to bring people to His light. I work hard in my school life and sports life and work life and home life because God showers me with blessings every day and I want to share that joy. We put in more time because we see God working to make the outcome more beautiful and rewarding. We help others because God has helped us. We follow the safety procedures and rules because we listen and respect our authorities, along with acknowledging the ways God uses these tools to protect us and care for us. Isaiah 41:10 reminds us that "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." His care for us is so overwhelming that we can find peace in God seeing us while we navigate making the right decision in a world where the wrong one is praised. Rewards here on earth are short-lived, but putting in extra effort and time, being gracious and kind, and demonstrating love come directly from the Lord and it reminds us that our reward comes from God, not from our peers.

Making the right decision, putting in extra time, working hard, and being generous towards others is no small feat. It is very difficult, which is why it always ends up on my New Year's Resolution list. We can always do better at it, learn from our failures, and find balance in the ways in which we do it. Doing the right thing, regardless of what our friends are doing, being kind even when we do not need to be and helping others when we are busy are all things that we navigate as we grow. Learning the value of working hard and doing it to give glory to God is rewarding, even though it can be a serious challenge to remain motivated when we feel like no one is watching, no one is appreciating it, and we are met with bullies, sour souls, and bitter hearts. It might be tempting to let them win, dismiss God's presence and joy when we make the right choice, and let the cycle of sin conquer us and our quest for the Lord. However, when this temptation is present, we can remind ourselves that in 2 Chronicles 16:9 we are told "The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." Despite the challenge that this world presents, with its peer pressure, the desire to fit in, and the inherent longing to misbehave and fall into sin, when we do not give in, when we remain steadfast in our goals to live and love like Jesus, we find ourselves more in tune with God, it is easier to make the right decision, and we are rewarded in a different way. Instead of tickets to redeem, money for work we didn't do, and popularity for the wrong reasons, we find ourselves growing with God, noticing His blessings, and appreciating His gifts. We find our relationship with Him stronger. We find that we are comfortable with who we are as children of God and grateful that we need only His acceptance and recognition.

Comments like Clay's coworker's and programs like the one from my high school are everywhere, and feeling unseen is quite common when we are working hard and being gracious to others. When we find our efforts, kindness, and time being dismissed, wasted, or even punished, while other's shortcuts are being rewarded, it can be chance for us to remind ourselves of our source of validation and motivation. 1 Peter 3:12 tells us "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayer." When we feel unseen and unappreciated, we can seek the Lord and His reassurance that what we are doing is not going unnoticed, but is being seen, and that He is with us, watching us, listening to us, and encouraging us to do our best and live for His glory alone. He acknowledges us and values our gratitude, graciousness, and time, which is all the motivation we need to keep sharing the light and blessings that He bestows upon us.