What’s In Your Hand? (Work, Identity, and Self-Value)

We all want to do meaningful work. You want to know that what you do every day matters — to your family, your clients, and to yourself.

And sometimes, it’s easy to forget the value of what’s in your hand. You might think:

• “I’m just a barista, serving coffee.”

• “I’m just a coach, giving guidance.”

• “I’m just an engineer, solving problems.”

• “I’m just a pastor, preaching sermons.”

When we downplay what’s in our hands, we lose sight of the pride, identity, and purpose behind our work.

In Exodus 4:2, God asks Moses, “What’s in your hand?” Moses replies, “A shepherd’s rod.”

To Moses, it was an ordinary tool — a stick used to guide, protect, and count his sheep. But God saw it differently. That same rod became a symbol of leadership and divine purpose, used to part seas and free an entire nation.

Here’s how you can view your work differently today:

1. Recognise what’s in your hand. Whether it’s a rod, a coffee tamper, a coaching framework, a wrench, or a Bible – see it for what it truly is: a tool of impact.

2. Take pride in your craftsmanship.

   • A coffee barista doesn’t just make coffee. They create moments of warmth, comfort, and connection at 6 am.

   • A coach doesn’t just share strategies. They change how people see themselves and their untapped potential.

   • An engineer doesn’t just solve problems. They build systems that keep society moving safely and efficiently.

   • A pastor doesn’t just preach. They guide souls and bring hope to the weary.

   • A craftsman doesn’t just create objects. They pour generational skills into tools and furniture that outlive them.

3. Remember: Your work shapes your identity. It forms who you are and who you’re becoming each day.

Today, pause and ask yourself:

👉 What’s in my hand? 

👉 How can I use it well? 

👉 How can I take pride in what I create, fix, build, teach, or serve today?

Don’t let the ordinariness of your tools blind you to their extraordinary purpose. When you dismiss what’s in your hand, you risk living life feeling small and unseen.

When you take pride in what’s in your hand, you step fully into your calling.

Like Moses, you discover that your ordinary work can become extraordinary impact — for your family, your clients, and your community!