In today's society, a person's value is often tragically reduced to their possessions, achievements, and outward appearance of success. Society frequently equates worth with framed diplomas, high-paying jobs, luxury vehicles, and spacious homes. Those who lack these markers often face pity or silent judgment, a painful reality many quietly endure.
A Different Kind of Richness: My Parents' Witness
This societal pressure became personal through the life example of my parents, Lyka Amethyst Perandos. After fully committing their lives to Jesus, they dedicated themselves to serving God's Kingdom. As full-time ministry workers, they traveled extensively to share the Gospel, often relying on a single, aging motorcycle for transportation.
Some onlookers felt sorry for them because they did not own a car. Others were puzzled by their choice of a lifestyle that seemed both difficult and lacking in glamour. However, those who understand God's perspective saw a deeper truth. My parents' path was never about personal comfort or social standing. It was a journey defined by obedience, sacrifice, and love. Their service possessed a richness that worldly metrics could never measure.
The Struggle Within: Comparison in the Digital Age
Our family home was simple, bordering on what the world would call poor. Yet, I now see clearly that my parents discovered the true wealth so many spend lifetimes pursuing: a life firmly anchored in Christ. It was a life filled with purpose, deep faith, unwavering trust, and genuine joy.
The greater challenge, however, often lies not in others' perceptions but in our own. The digital era makes it effortless to measure our self-worth against the curated perfection displayed on social media feeds. We scroll and unconsciously compare our ordinary reality to someone else's highlight reel, fostering thoughts like, "If I only had what they have, I'd be happier." This seed of envy can blind us to the abundant blessings we already hold: family, health, peace, purpose, and God's constant presence.
The Danger of Forgetting: When Blessings Arrive
A subtle danger emerges when God answers our prayers for stability, a home, a car, or other comforts. We risk beginning to view others through the same lens of lack that was once used on us. We forget our own seasons of need, the desperate prayers we uttered, and, most critically, we forget to return all glory to God, the source of every blessing.
This is where the scripture in Philippians 2:3 speaks with profound clarity: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves." The apostle Paul reminds us that authentic Christian living is not about elevating ourselves above others. Our achievements are not for self-promotion, and our blessings should not inflate our egos. The call to "value others above yourselves" challenges us to see people through Christ's eyes—not through the filter of their status or possessions—and to extend honor and compassion unconditionally.
Many of us, upon honest reflection, have fallen short in this area. Yet, such failure is not an end but an invitation to spiritual growth. My prayer is that we embrace humility not as a fleeting sentiment but as a foundational way of life. May we always remember where God found us and recognize that everything we have is an extension of His grace. When God blesses us abundantly, may we become faithful stewards, using those blessings not to build our own platforms but to lift others up, to show generosity and kindness, to make a tangible difference, and ultimately to point more people toward Jesus.
For genuine wealth is not quantified by what we hold in our hands, but by what resides eternally in our hearts.
