“A father said to his daughter “You have graduated with honors, here is a car I bought many years ago, but before I give it to you, take it to the used car lot and tell them, I want to sell it and see how much they offer you.” The daughter went to the car lot, returned to her father and said, “They offered me $1,000 because they said it looks pretty worn out.”
The father said, now “Take it to the pawn shop.” The daughter returned to her father and said, “the pawn shop offered only $100 because it is an old car.” The father asked his daughter to go to a car club and show them the car. The daughter then took the car to the club, returned and told her father, “Some people in the club offered $100,000 for it because it’s a Nissan Skyline R34, an iconic car and sought by many collectors.”
The father said this to his daughter, “If you are not valued, do not be angry, it means you are in the wrong place. Those who know your value are those who appreciate you. Never stay in a place where no one sees your value.” Edited and borrowed from a posting on Facebook in 2020.
How often do we stay; hoping and trusting that “in time” that company will ultimately see our signifiance to them or perhaps a person or person(s) will value us? Then we learn, the company doesn’t appreciate the skills you have for the job you are doing. Perhaps that friend or even family member left you emotionally years ago, for you weren’t what they desired.
As I’ve been viewing a televised series on friendships and relationships, I’ve been reminded of the complexity of such relationships in life. One of the characters experienced having her company not deem her worthy to remain on their staff. Romantic relationships were lost due to a lack of acceptance of her as a person. Perhaps one of the saddest life lessons was watching a friendship of over three decades fractured due to human egos and pride.
Tearfully, one of the characters reminded her friend they had given all those years to a friendship that now was going to be destroyed due to one brief moment. Just as with selling the car to the buyer that appreciated and esteemed the merit of its’ worth, we sometimes have friends and family that choose anger and pride over the importance of what the relationship provides.
As the father told his daughter “ do not be angry. You are in the wrong place.” How devastating it is when you desire to remain because you believe you are in the right place, but you must accept the company or person desires someone or something else.
What a joy and gift it is when we are finally provided the opportunity of being in the right place. Sometimes it takes years, but during that time, God may be preparing us for when we understand our value is elsewhere. Job 6:14 NIV, “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”