What Is Valuable ?

What The World Sees As Valuable 

I’ve been studying the story of Daniel( Daniel in Hebrew means God is my judge). When you read his story, you really understand how this meaning fits him perfectly. The young Israelite was taken to serve in Babylon after the kingdom of Judah was seized. Babylon, present-day Iraq, was ruled by King Nebuchadnezzar.  After conquering Judah, the king took vessels from the house of God and placed them in the treasury of his god in Shinar (Southern Mesopotamia). I see this first as mockery—an act of disrespect toward the God of Israel. Later in the story, God punishes Nebuchadnezzar for this. 

While in Judah, the king ordered Ashpenaz to bring young men from the royal family and nobility. His criteria were clear: they had to be handsome, without physical defect, endowed with wisdom, knowledge, insight, and competence to serve the king.

As I reflected on this, the Holy Spirit showed me something powerful: these are the same criteria the world still uses today to determine value.

The world places value on physical appearance. Beauty opens doors. People want to be around what is pleasing to the eye. Many people will openly admit they would not date someone they are not physically attracted to. Because of this, people with disabilities, differences, or who do not fit society’s beauty standards are often overlooked, ignored, or undervalued. Racism has reinforced these standards by elevating certain skin tones, features, and hair textures over others, creating deep insecurity and questioning of worth.

The world also values intelligence and academic performance. From a young age, we are taught that our grades determine our worth. I remember the anxiety of waiting for exam results to be posted publicly for everyone to see. Those at the top felt validated; those at the bottom felt ashamed. This continues into adulthood, where degrees and credentials often decide which rooms you are allowed to enter. If you lack formal education, you may be labelled lazy, incompetent, or unworthy—even if you are gifted and capable.

Status and nobility are also highly valued. Who you know matters. Being connected to powerful or wealthy people can elevate how others perceive you. Many of us take pride in being associated with influential people because it boosts our perceived value. Wealth, fame, and power are praised, and many people spend their lives chasing these things, believing they will finally feel worthy once they have them.

Notice how all the things the world values—and that we constantly seek and focus on—often create anxiety, envy, comparison, and frustration within us. When we don’t attain them, we turn that frustration toward God and begin to pray from a place of entitlement: “God, why didn’t You do this for me? Why don’t I have that?”

Without realising it, we start trying to use God to fit into worldly standards of value. We want Him to make us successful, visible, admired, and accepted according to the world’s definition of greatness. But that has never been God’s plan. His plan was never for us to become of the world, only to be in it. Yet many of us want both—we want to belong to the world and also be the best in it. That is where frustration grows, because while we are chasing other people’s lives, God’s plan for our own life is placed on hold.

Ask God what His plan for your life is, and you will be surprised how much better it is than what the world deems valuable. God’s ultimate plan is not just to make you great on earth, but to make you a citizen of heaven, where eternal life is secured. Whether or not you receive everything you desire here on earth, knowing Jesus is enough—because this life is not the end. Yet many people are so focused on what they can build on earth that they forget what is being prepared for them in heaven if they live the life they were truly called to live.

I used to think life was about doing my best here and simply waiting for Judgment Day. But I thank God that I discovered my calling on earth. I am slowly—but surely—walking in the path He has prepared for me. Because how sad would it be to reach the gates of heaven and be told what I was meant to do, only to realise I spent my life chasing what the world wanted from me instead of what God wanted for me?

You need the Holy Spirit to guide you to walk into what God has truly called you to be. Not a psychic, not a personality test, not a social media trend, and not someone else’s blueprint. Your calling and purpose are divine—they are found in Christ. And if you do not know Him for yourself, you will end up following other people’s agendas, copying celebrities, and comparing your life to others, without realizing that God created you for something entirely different

What Impresses God 

I share this to help you see how deeply we have all been shaped by worldly definitions of value—and how much time we spend chasing validation instead of God. I also realised something painful about myself: because prayer, humility, and obedience are not highly valued by the world, I subconsciously treated them as less important. My mind was trained to pursue what benefits me, not necessarily what pleases God.

But here is the truth: none of the things the world values impresses God. Why? Because He gave them to us, or allowed them. Our beauty, intelligence, abilities, limitations, background, finances, or lack thereof—God already knows all of it. When we disqualify ourselves based on what we lack, we are actually underestimating God. You cannot impress Him with what you have, and you cannot discourage Him with what you don’t.

So what does God value?

God values obedience.
God values humility.
God values a heart that reveres Him and leans on Him rather than on people or systems.
God values a spirit that is detached from the world and submitted to His will.

One of the silliest comments I often hear from unbelievers—and even from some believers—is this idea that “Christians only pray, yet they have no money,” or “They pray, but they are not worthy; those who are worthy don’t worship God.”

But do we really know how and what people really worship behind closed doors?

Whoever said that when you worship and follow Jesus, wealth will be waiting for you at the door? That is not what you gain with God.

Yes, God blesses. Yes, God gives favour. But that is not the only essence of who God is.

If people only value you because you are rich or poor, because you have a car or don’t have one, that should tell you how shallow their understanding is, no matter their level of education or wealth. Anyone who measures the value of a human being by material status does not truly know God or their own value.

God does far more work in the invisible than in the visible.

He acts in ways you and others may never see. He protects you from things you don’t even know were coming. That is why gratitude and praise are so important—because you never truly know what God has saved you from, redirected you from, or shielded you against.

If your faith is weak, you will begin to feel insecure. You will start questioning whether the God you serve is real, just because you don’t have the latest car, the highest-paying job, a partner, or a child. You will start reducing God to things when in reality, He holds your future.

This is the same God who split the sea.
The same God who commands creation—and creation obeys Him.
The same God who sustains the world.

Trees don’t complain about not having leaves.
Yet we, as humans, fix our minds on small things because we don’t see the way God sees.

So ask God to open your eyes.
Ask Him to renew your mind.
Ask Him to change your heart.

So that you stop longing for what your neighbour has—and start desiring what you truly need.

Because what you truly need is not more things.
What you truly need is vision, peace, faith, and understanding.

And only God can give you that.

Hidden Treasure