I recently came across a quote from leadership mentor Fred Smith that caught my attention. I had to spend time thinking about what he said, and to see where I landed on this thought:

“Joy comes to those who can truthfully (yet humbly) know they deserve respect.”

How does that strike you? Do you think you deserve respect? Is that arrogance? Is it narcissistic? I had to read on to get some clarity on what Fred Smith was saying. More importantly, I dug into God’s Word to see how I should see myself…to see how I should respect the person Jesus lived and died for. In teaching His disciples, Jesus started at a low level. Maybe with a twinkle in His eye, He likened these men to common sparrows, then said, “…you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”

In Genesis, Moses shares the high image we should have of ourselves. “So God created mankind in his own image….” We are not “nothing,” we are something special in the Lord’s eyes. Created in His own image!

And the beloved disciple John underscored our worth to the Lord. “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1 NLT)

Are you getting the picture? Fred Smith follows his opening thoughts with this revelation:

“Becoming respected begins with becoming respectable. Living life worthily is the way of joy and respect.”

We sometimes equate respect with position or wealth or certain abilities. A top athlete is respected by his peers. A wealthy entrepreneur is respected by business leaders. But what about the ministry worker who quietly goes about his or her job, touching lives for Jesus? They should have our respect and feel their worth as they live godly lives, examples to others.

A life of service to others helps us build self-respect. Fred Smith has said, “Service is the rent I pay for the space I occupy on this earth.” An effective servant leader gains respect from those he or she serves, and in the process understands their value in the Lord’s kingdom work.

Finally, Smith says we have the ability to increase our self-respect:

“The wonderful thing about joyful respect is the opportunity to weigh ourselves daily as long as we live. If the scales show us a bit short, we can do something about it immediately.”

Maybe the best way to grow in our respect for ourselves is to take God’s Word to heart.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 2:10 NLT

When we understand our lives from God’s perspective, we can have a healthy and humble self-respect that leads to deep joy.

God’s best,