What Is My Worth? Discover The Pathway to Fulfillment.
Rishad Premji is heir to one of the world’s most affluent families, his father’s net worth at one point exceeded $30 billion dollars. His father, Azim Premji, built his wealth by inheriting Western Indian Vegetable Products (WIPRO) and turning it into one of India’s top IT companies. Despite his immense wealth, Azim Premji is not easily swayed by material possessions. In an extraordinary act of philanthropy, this last year, Azim gave away over half his wealth, earning him the title of one of the world's most generous billionaires. He is known to travel coach class on airlines and to be driven around in a humble car. Although his wealth has halved, his heirs will still receive astronomical sum.
In a wildly popular k-drama, we encounter yet another fortunate heir, the dashing Gu Won. "King the Land, 킹더랜드”, plays out like a classic Cinderella tale, involving a chaebol who falls for the modest employee, Cheon Sarang. Gu Won, a benevolent leader, stands up for his employees and advocates for the marginalized. But as an illegitimate son, Gu Won wrestles to find his right place in the family and in the King Group. While Sarang is the epitome of a diligent employee, ceaselessly serving hotel guests with the signature King Group smile, she too has her battles. She continually has to prove her worth as a King Group employee, competing with those who have college degrees. These two adorable characters craft a narrative that touches our hearts, tapping into our deepest desire to be accepted, valued, and loved.
As a child, I vividly remember sitting on the living room floor, inches away from the tv screen, completely engrossed in an adventure series. Each Saturday, I was captivated by a program that showcased teenagers embarking on exhilarating escapades. I knew that would be me someday. I yearned to be someone of significance, having adventures and achieving success. There's a certain allure about characters such as Goo Won of the King Group. The luxurious life of zipping around in exotic cars, flying in helicopters, and wearing British-tailored suits is enticing. Who doesn’t want to live like Goo Won in King the Land? And if not the heir, we dream of embodying someone like Cheo Sarang, whose stunning beauty and endearing sweetness captures Goo Won's heart. We all harbor a profound longing within us. Are we truly worthy and valuable? Is there a divine destiny for me too?
My childhood memories include trips to Los Angeles where one of my uncles lived. Being captivated by stardom, these trips to LA gave me the opportunity to stargaze. Yet, I wasn’t just seeking a photo-op, I wanted to be the photo-op. My attempts to catch the eye of a movie scout were thwarted, I'm convinced, by my family who was more the reflection of 'dollar store Kardashians'. My loving father was always nearby, snap-happy with his camera while carting my two sisters in a double stroller that screamed '70s mustard nightmare'. Nevertheless, my 10-year-old heart never stopped dreaming. Somewhere in that town was the person who would change my destiny. My youthful heart persisted in its dreams of significance, steadfast in the belief that my moment would come.
At the age of 18, I became a nanny for a former model, whose toddler, a stunning blend of Asian and European ancestry, had modeling gigs by the age of 5. Believe it or not, a visit to the agency set off the tiniest spark of hope within me, that perhaps I too could be "discovered". Unfortunately, embodying the charm of a lanky garden hoe, my attempts at grace were often mistaken for interpretive dance. And on this fateful agency visit, I aimed to be nothing short of a swan. I stretched out like an accordion at every opportunity, elongating my posture as I leaned against the wall, waiting our turn. Instead, a misstep and gravity conducted an impromptu waltz, and down I went, kaboom, sprawling on the floor with about as much dignity as a giraffe on ice. The room, filled with equally self-conscious souls, responded with suppressed snickers. They were probably wondering if they should clap for the performance. Thus was my life, a spicy mix of unfulfilled dreams and cringe-worthy dances with destiny. Despite such setbacks, my yearning for recognition and acceptance continued.
Humans are so interesting. We are always seeking love and acceptance. This is what makes adoption stories so interesting to me. They are beautiful, complex, and emotional - a yearning for a child, the miracle of a match, the shared struggles of raising a child, and the added emotional layer of the discovery of being adopted. It's not always a tale of pure joy though, as many adopted children grapple with feelings of rejection alongside the reality of being chosen and accepted. A Duke University scholar explored humans' search for identity:
“A great deal of human behavior is motivated by the desire for acceptance and
belonging, and a high proportion of people's emotional reactions stems from concerns with
actual or potential social rejection. The pervasive quest for acceptance can be seen in the
attention and effort people devote to their physical appearance, their efforts to be liked,
achievement-related behaviors, conformity, accumulating resources that others need, and
generally being the sort of person with whom others want to have social connections.”
(2022, Leary)
So there you have it, the scholar confirmed, we all continually seek acceptance and love.
In 1955, an unmarried college couple journeyed from Wisconsin to California to give birth and give up their child for adoption. Unprepared to become a family at such a young age, they agreed to the choice of adoption under the condition that the adoptive parents possess college degrees. However, the intended adoptive parents backed out at the last minute. The fortunate parents next in line for adoption received the call. In an intriguing twist of fate, the adoptive parents did not meet the initial educational criteria; the mother had not finished college and the father was a high school dropout. However, this did not hinder their moment with destiny. The Jobs hurried to the hospital to meet their newborn, baby Steve. Steve Jobs went on to lead a remarkable life as the founder of Apple, revolutionizing the electronics industry. Like many adopted children, Steve Jobs spoke about the pain he experienced when reflecting upon his birth, but he elected to channel those emotions into fostering his independence. He says that he never felt abandoned but rather he always felt special.
Did you know that you could have an adoption story too?
2,000 years ago an unmarried, poor Nazarene couple, gave birth. The child was swaddled in cloth and laid in a manger, an animal’s food trough. Despite this seemingly simple birth, there are numerous claims that this child was the son of God. If that fact is true, then this child would claim the status of being the wealthiest heir to have ever walked the Earth - the heir of Creation, the heir of eternity. So why would God choose such a modest and unassuming birth for his son? At first glance, it doesn't make sense. However, if we delve deeper to understand the reason behind it, it couldn’t be more divinely orchestrated. I believe Jesus came to Earth in this manner for many reasons, a few being:
He was fulfilling the documented prophecies of the Messiah in the Old Testament. (Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, Isaiah 61:1-3)
He was coming to fulfill the will of God, not the the will of man. The will of God was for Jesus to be the savior of all, not just a Messiah for the Jews but the redeemer of all races and all classes of people. Man was expecting an earthly king, but God had a grander plan.
He was the example of servant leadership. Up to that point in history, all cultures and religions honored and revered wealth, power and prestige. He came to challenge societal norms and usher in a new covenant. Jesus taught a different way, the way of love. Love that was humble and holy.
Jesus greatest gift to humanity was his very life. The wealthiest heir to ever walk the Earth relinquished it all. He offered his life on the cross so that we could be forgiven from our sinful state and be restored to Father God.
My pursuit of love and acceptance led me to embrace this spiritual truth. It is the only thing that has fulfilled my deepest longing. I know I am loved; I know I am valued. I am a child of God. This incredible news - that Jesus' life, death, and resurrection is our salvation and redemption, is a beautiful story of adoption, an invitation to everyone to join the family of God.
Determining the purpose of our lives can pose a challenge. As children, we are filled with countless dreams. We face the stark reality that our destiny may not unfold like Gu Won’s and Sarang’s in King the Land. Life often leads us down unexpected and difficult paths, leaving us hurt, broken, or bitter. To those of you who feel unseen, unloved, abandoned, or rejected, I extend this invitation - would you like to be adopted into the Kingdom of Heaven? Your life carries such extraordinary worth that Jesus sacrificed His own, all for you. As cherished children of God, our deepest longings can be fulfilled. I extend this invitation to you, join the family and together let’s be co-heirs to the one, true, King of the Land.
“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s
Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit
joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are
his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.” Romans 8:15-17
Worship Song
Child of God
날 자녀라 하시네
Quien Dices Que Soy
Citations
Azim Premji
Isaacson, W. (2015). Steve jobs. Abacus.
Leary, M. R., & Gabriel, S. (2022). The relentless pursuit of acceptance and belonging. In Advances in Motivation Science (Vol. 9, pp. 135–178).
