Max Lucado tells a powerful story about wooden people who spend their time putting stickers on each other and the impact that has on them. Those who are not performing at their best or are not so lovely get gray dots, but those who are able to do great things or appear perfect are given gold stars.
Gray dots and gold stars.
We are so often plagued by what other people say about us or think about us. The words or lack of them, the actions or lack of them, all seem to burrow down inside of our souls and leave us unsure of whether we are lovable or valuable.
The pesky gray dots are not unlike termites gnawing away under the surface destroying as they go.
As in the story, our solution to the problem propels us to try to do something amazing, to 
do things “just right”, to lose weight, get a new hairdo, buy a more current outfit, or learn to play tennis. We hope that in the process we will get gold stars that will somehow cover the gray dots so we will be seen as more lovable and worthwhile, gold stars that will also help us believe in ourselves more than we do.
We care so much about what others think of us!
Some of us say we do not, but I wonder how much truth there is in such a statement. At our core, we all want to feel lovable, appreciated, accepted, and desired. We spend time trying to earn or attain that from others and to help us cancel our own negative self-perceptions.
Sadly, none of the efforts are very effective and even if they seem to help for the moment, they do not last. We continue to be haunted by whispers of doubt we carry inside. The whispers come from words carelessly spoken to us or about us from childhood onward as well as from the enemy whose skill at creating doubt was first demonstrated in Eden.
There is only One who knows us completely and loves us perfectly. 
There is only One who offers grace, forgiveness, and forgetfulness for every failure.
Yet, we seldom ask Him what He sees or believes about us and His Word on the subject too often stays in the chair where we read it that morning rather than being etched in our hearts.
When He reminds me that He loves me everlastingly, I am awed and humbled.
How could He? He knows everything about me!
Yet, somehow, when I listen to Him more than those who are eager to hand out gray dots or gold stars, I gain an inner knowing that I am loved, valuable, and precious by the One who created me.
Fabulous post! That is one of the beauties of growing older and wiser, the fact that we don’t care so much what others think of us, but more of what Heavenly Father and ourselves think of us. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
p.s. I say, “gold stars for everyone” 🙂
hugs,
Jann
Thank you, Jann! I think you’re right about how our age makes an impact on how re respond to this issue much of the time. I agree about gold stars for everyone!!💕⭐️
Such truth. Visiting you from the journeys in grace link up. laurensparks.net
Thanks so much, Lauren!😊
A beautiful reminder! Thank you! Barclay
This is a beautiful and reassuring post. Although I wouldn’t like to admit it, I find myself searching for those gold stars at times. And yet, only yesterday when I was called to stop everything and pray…and I did stop everything and pray…everything changed. My outlook, my attitude, my level of joy and understanding in a difficult place…even the way things turned out changed for the better. And I felt better about myself…and I didn’t even notice weather or not I had a grey dot.
Thanks so much!! Love this testimony of God at work! Blessings on your day and thanks for taking time to read and share.💕
Pastor Pam:
Keep writing……
Keep writing……
Keep writing……
You nailed it!
Thanks so much! Let’s look for a chance to have coffee, breakfast, or lunch before the end of the summer. You encourage my heart!💕
We are so multifaceted that our motivations for what we do are often lost even to us. But I think that most of are trying in some way to cover those ‘gray dots’ and to find ‘gold stars’ to make us feel acceptable. But thank the Lord that for those who know Jesus, our gray dots are forever covered by his red blood so that for all eternity we will ‘shine like stars in the sky.” Amen?
So perfectly stated, Karen! I love your words here! Yes, indeed, AMEN!!!❤️