Unfortunately,
sometimes we conduct our relationships as if we are selling souvenirs on the
seashore. We haggle, we negotiate, we compromise – too fearful of being alone
to stand firm on the value of our worth. Why do we insist on giving ourselves
away? Offering up pieces of ourselves so that someone gets us at a steal? I don’t
know about you, but I want to be valued.
If
you don’t see yourself as a gift, then who will? We must set our standards and
hold firm on our price. It’s better to walk away than to lower our self-worth
to less than its actual value.
What
are your expectations, your standards? In other words, what’s your price?
Have
you shared those expectations with others? We get upset when people do not live
up to the standards we set, but often we have not even given them the courtesy
of letting them know the standards exist.
Likewise,
we cannot get caught up trying to meet the standards of others and fail to
birth the vision God has for us. God has placed talents and gifts inside of us –
and He has plans for us to make the best use of those talents and gifts. Our faith
teaches us that taking a stand to reach our goals may have a cost.
There
are some things in life that should be non negotiable. Your character, your
self-esteem, your ambition are the things that make you, YOU! If someone wants
to be in your life, you owe it to them to let them know up front what you will
and will not compromise on.
And
if you have not considered the boundaries of your worth, then others will
attempt to lower them for you. Some people do this to feel better about
themselves; others do it because they want to control you or manipulate circumstances.
Regardless of how it happens, the place to begin defending against is this kind
of price reduction is within. No one can force you to sell yourself short if you’re
aware of your true worth.
