God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.” Then Solomon said, “You have shown great faithfulness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.
1 Kings 3:5-7
God likes to feel appreciated; do you? When God reached out to Solomon to offer him anything he wanted, Solomon did not give an answer immediately. Instead, he showed appreciation by acknowledging the “lovingkindness” God had shown to his father— and now to him. David undoubtedly coached his son on the right heart posture to have when communicating with God, to always be thankful and demonstrate gratitude. But often, kids forget that their parents appreciate being appreciated. God, too, encourages His children to “appreciate Him.” David mentioned in Psalm 100:4 that we are to “enter His gates with THANKSGIVING and His courts with PRAISE”.
Leaders appreciate being appreciated. Everyone reports to someone. It’s easy to forget that leaders have feelings, too. While many followers may focus on how they look to leadership, the ones who show appreciation to those they serve stand out in a positive way. Showing appreciation to leaders for what they have done for you or the organization sets you apart. On the flip side, leaders who show appreciation to their people engender loyalty and higher lev- els of commitment. When showing appreciation for those you are leading, remember this:
The single most important word is “We.”
The two most important words are “Thank you.”
The three most important words are “I appreciate you.”
The four most important words are “You make a difference.”
The five most important words are “I can count on you.”
The six most important words are “You always do a great job.”
The seven most important words are “I truly can’t do it without you.”
REFLECT TO CONNECT
- To whom can you expression appreciation today?
- How did you feel the last time someone expressed appreciation to you?
- How does depositing value into another increase your influence with them?
Leaders look for value in people, then find what they seek.
