The Diligent Little Guy

Society has a way a glorifying certain traits in both men and women. This is nothing new and it can bring an unhealthy preoccupation getting hold of these desired characteristics or traits. Men often want to be tough, independent, handsome, witty, clever, and smooth. Women feel pressure to be beautiful, classy, sweet, and kind. Sometimes we just can’t seem to fit the mold, because we’re simply flawed people who are not good enough on our own. If we try to be “good enough” all the time, then we’re going to exhaust ourselves out with a charade and eventually give way to either needing a life change or fall into depression.

The little guy (or woman) is often unappreciated but holds the capacity for being incredibly valuable. God doesn’t look at men the same way that men look at each other and decide who is “valuable” or “worthy” of status. In a worldly view, unfortunately, status often falls to the man who is the loudest and most opinionated or the woman who is physically beautiful or charming.

The little guy can be big in spirit, but go unnoticed because he works outside the spotlight - the work that is a labor of love, the work that is done without the public eye watching, or the work that no one wants to do. We are all created with different talents, how we use them is our decision. No matter how small or big an act is - it’s essentially worthless without love being at the root.

The diligent little guy may be weak, socially awkward, not be respected by his peers, or may not have a lot to give – but when he gives, he does so with the right heart. No amount of teasing, rejection from others, or time spent unnoticed is going to change his worth. The beauty of life is that we all don’t need to hold the spotlight in order to be useful or valuable. The skill sets we all carry may be vastly different than the others around. We are called to be good stewards of the gifts and skills we’ve been given.

It’s tempting to want to be the coolest or best-looking one around, but what will you do for others? The biggest change in my life came after I become shifted to being “other” minded rather than “self-minded.” Against all my own logic, I began to feel happier, more satisfied, and better connected with those around me.

Some days, we may take the spotlight – and other days we may not have anyone notice us. This does not change our character, worth, or value on any level when we remain diligent and serve from a place of love. When God is the center of our lives, then we can be more effective in how we serve others within our own community and potentially farther.

For further related reading, please check out: Something New For You.