Kaitlin Garrison

Believing The Lie of “I’m Just…”

My face twisted in confusion as I slid down in my seat. The woman-stranger on the other end of the phone had just chewed my butt out for “the way” I described my job title. I simply said:

“Oh, I’m just the receptionist.”

She raised her voice at me and started ranting, “What do you mean, ‘You’re JUST?’ Young lady, don’t you say things like that! Don’t say ‘I’m JUST.’ You’re a lot of things and you are important!”

I was a little in shock after we hung up.

Chuckling to myself, I wondered why she found it so necessary to correct my verbiage. Wasn’t I telling the truth? I am just a receptionist.

But then I started thinking about why I felt the need to add those two little words as I described what I did: “I’m just…”

I know I’m not the only one that uses this phrase. I hear a lot of people use it quite frequently. They say things like, “Oh I’m…

just… a student.”
just… a stay at home mom.”
just… a wife.”
just… a volunteer.”
just… an employee.”
just… single.”
“I’m just a…_____.”

This seemingly “humble” phrase makes a debut in so many of our sentences. It smuggles its way into our conversations as we try to explain ourselves to others. While we think we are merely trying to narrow down who we are, we’re actually nodding our heads in agreement with The Liar.

“You have no purpose outside of being a  _________. You are just a ______. That’s it. Nothing special.”

You’re Not “Just” Anything

I believe we speak these words out of a deep rooted belief that we aren’t adequate or valuable. We resort to ‘dumbing down’ who we are and what we do when we can’t see the importance of our existence.

In a “works” based culture, our identities can easily be intertwined with our occupation, position or status. What you do is who you are. This ever-present stigma eventually seeps down into the core of who we are, encouraging us to believe that unless we are this, then we are JUST _____. When we don’t feel we’re up to par with the rest of society or even where we think we should be, we revert ourselves to the lower level ranks of, “Oh I’m just a ______.”

The upfront and kind-of-frightening lady on the phone was right.
We shouldn’t say ‘I’m just’.

Because the truth is:  You are important. You have value.
Not because of what you do, but because of who you are.
You are not your job, position or status-- There's a lot more to you than that. Click To Tweet

There are so many unique, distinct and God-given qualities that make you–YOU.
Your divine design is too complex for you to be JUST a _________.

Remembering The Maker

Our value comes from something far deeper than a title, a job description, an occupation, or a status. 

By saying we are “just” anything actually insults our Maker whose ingenious creativity is beyond what we can fathom. The beautiful thing is:  we were created and designed by Him. That means He was creative when He made us. We weren’t just thrown together without purpose, design or meaning. In fact, it’s quite the opposite:

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female He created them.” -Genesis 1:27

We were made in His design. His image. His likeness. He could have made us to look like anything He wanted, but He chose to make us like Him. Why? So that in whatever we do, we can be who He created us to be in our places and spaces and reflect who He is. Even in the most mundane of things, we can still be a bright light that draws people to Himself.

Whatever You Do…

Therefore, whatever you do, whether you’re at home raising future world changers, working a 9-5 day job behind a desk, studying your brains out, or still trying to figure out what in the world you’re going to be and do– you have so much significance, value, and importance.

What you are doing is huge and significant. Not because of the job description, but because of the Creator you are reflecting in what you do.
You are a walking grand design, master-crafted for good works that He prepared in advance for you to do. That’s not “just” anything. That’s special.

So, y’all.
Let’s take “I’m just” out of our vocabulary and “just” trash it.
Because it’s not true.
We are not just anything.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made and what He makes is wonderful.

Let’s own that, know that, and walk freely in it. 

“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” -Colossians 3:17

Comments

  1. Linda Guteres says

    Thank you for reminding me of my worth. I doubt it at times…many times truthfully. I question why I allow myself to diminish my worth but encourage others to realize theirs. I’m a dunce! Oops…there I go again!

    Reply

  4. Erin @ Momma's Living Room says

    Loved this post! I was thinking about how I was on an airplane a few months ago and the guy next to me (who was big, important, and obviously a leader in his career field) asks me what I do. I replied, “I’m just a stay at home mom.” He responds, “Not ‘just!’ That’s a really hard job!” Your post got me thinking about how I explain a large focus of my life without the “I’m just” part. I’m thinking, “I raise future world changers from the comforts of my own home.” 🙂 Regardless of how it’s said, I do enjoy it (most of the time) and am glad to be a servant leader in my own home!

    Reply

    • Kaitlin Garrison says

      Erin,
      I love that! I’m so thankful for the reminders of others to stop saying I’m Just! And I think your description of a stay at home mom is PERFECT!! I might steal it someday! 🙂

      Reply

  5. Lauren C. Moye says

    Reminds me of a conversation I had with my husband recently. See, I’m the odd one out in our group of friends. They’re all continuing their education and working. I’m a SAHM who runs a blog. I told my husband, “What am I really supposed to talk about with everybody?”

    He looked shocked. “You have work, too.”

    “Yeah, I have what /we/ call work [blogging]. I don’t get paid to do it though.”

    His confidence in his reply shocked me into silence: “But it’s still important.”

    Thanks for the reminder (again)!

    Reply

  7. joydekok says

    This is so easy to do. A friend said something similar to me and you confirmed her statement that was not unlike the one you heard on the phone! Thank you!

    Reply

  8. Lauren C. Moye says

    Hello, fellow blogger and friend!

    On the first of each month, I do a special round-up called #(Month)25 where I share the best of other people’s content with my followers. I share five posts from each of these categories: Christian, kids/motherhood, relationships, money, and miscellaneous. I just wanted to let you know that this blog post was featured in my #February25 Roundup. Hooray!

    Here’s a link to the post so you can see for yourself: http://wp.me/p7RdMZ-D4

    In Christ,
    Lauren C. Moye

    Reply

  9. andrealanewrites says

    I love this post. Thank you for sharing this story and thoughts on how belittiling ourselves even humbly can take away from who we are in Christ. I especially love ” This ever-present stigma eventually seeps down into the core of who we are, encouraging us to believe that unless we are this, then we are JUST _____. ” So poignant!

    Reply

  10. gogathergrow says

    Fabulous post filled with truth! For years I have corrected others in their use of the word “just” when they describe themselves. But listen closely to each other’s prayers….I really notice that word used a lot when praying…my mind is blank for examples but keep an ear out for that word. You’ll be surprised how often it is used.
    Again, great post. Thanks for reminding us of our worth.

    Reply

    • Kaitlin says

      Its amazing how much it is used! Good for your for correcting people 🙂 I will definitely have to keep my ear open the next time somebody is praying! Thank you for that! 🙂

      Reply

    • Kaitlin says

      Mihaela,
      You’re so right– It’s amazing how many people identify themselves by what they DO instead of who they ARE. Like you said– We’re children of the King!

      Reply

  17. Rosanna@ExtraordinaryEverydayMom says

    I’ve conciously made the choice to never say, “I’m just a stay at home Mom.” Even though I’ve been doing this for a couple of years now, it takes all of my will-power to say it at times. I’ve been led to believe the lie, by the world, that my identity comes from what I do. And that what I do isn’t enough. The truth is, it is! What I do is valuable and precious because I am made in the image of the most high God. How wonderful!

    Reply

    • Kaitlin says

      Rosanna,
      Good for you! It makes such a shift in our mindset when we realize we are not valuable because of what we do, but rather because of who God made us to be— His kids! That IS wonderful!

      Reply

    • Kaitlin says

      Stephanie,
      It is so easy to feel less than and not enough! It’s a daily battle for sure. But like you said, His word is the perfect compass as we remember who we are in Him!!

      Reply

  19. Stones of Diverse Lines E-mail says

    Such a great post!! I liked this line, “While we think we are merely trying to narrow down who we are, we’re actually nodding our heads in agreement with The Liar.” It is easy to think we are ‘just__.” It is not really humility. It is unbelief in who God says we are. Thanks for this encouraging post!

    Reply

    • Kaitlin says

      You’re so right, our attempts at making statements in humility are really just statements of unbelief! Thanks so much for your insight 🙂

      Reply

  20. Sonya says

    Kaitlin, thank you for drawing our hearts back to truth. So often we get caught up in telling ourselves a different story. I’m grateful for your insight and encouragement to keep us focused on how God sees us!

    Reply

    • Kaitlin says

      Sonya,
      I’m right there with you, constantly fighting to tell myself the RIGHT story. Thank you so much for your encouragement! ❤️

      Reply

  22. Meg Weyerbacher says

    Love this message. Another close to my heart. I was a stay at home mom for 11 years and home schooled 4 of them. I struggled with purpose and identity for a long time. Thanks for sharing this.

    Reply

    • Kaitlin says

      Meg,
      Wow! That’s so neat that you got to stay home AND homeschool for that long! I can imagine the struggle that comes alongside that. Nevertheless, that’s such a huge undertaking and what a joy to get to be such a huge part of your kids lives and learning ❤️

      Reply

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