He handed over the nine newly-stamped VIP passes and reminded me that our status meant we didn’t have to wait in lines, we didn’t have to worry about arriving at a certain time and that they would make space for us even if the room was already full when we arrived. I smiled, thanked him yet again, and herded my children through the gate. I felt like a very important person, indeed.
While other people were scurrying to make sure they arrived on time, we weren’t in a rush. As other people were lining up for their assigned tours, an employee called to us with a friendly “Hello, VIPs!” as she escorted us past the line and straight into the building. I could feel the stares of the people in line as they wondered who we were and why we were getting such preferential treatment.
As we entered the exhibit, I started to feel guilty. I’m no VIP. I’m just the sister of the woman who won the Platinum membership at Comicon. I didn’t deserve this special treatment. I didn’t belong here.
But the red-inked, rubber-stamped approval on the passes we held confirmed that we did belong – and not only did we belong, we were important!
But as we walked out of the gate, it occurred to me… those stamps were just red ink, rubber-stamped evidence of something I should’ve known all along.
We’re all VIPs.
Maybe not official, card-carrying VIPs
who are rushed to the front of every line…
…but we are official VIPs by birthright,
rushed right to the throne of grace.
Our membership to the Kingdom of God is more valuable and more important than our membership to any earthly venue. Though we may not have tangible tickets, we can be sure that our admission stubs would all be rubber-stamped with bright, bold letters because we are all very important people to our Creator.
With our busy lives and chaotic world, it is so easy to forget who we are and to Whom we belong. It is so easy to let the noise of our daily living drown out the beckoning call of our loving Father in Heaven. Although we are still VIPs in the Kingdom, some of us have misplaced our tickets or may worry that our invitations have expired. Sometimes, we can feel so worn out and used up that we don’t even remember we were ever invited to something better than the life we’re living right now.
But no matter where you are, who you are, where you’ve been or what you’ve done or how long it has taken you to get there, you are always invited to partake of the blessings of membership in His family and kingdom.
“Every person we meet is a VIP to our Heavenly Father.
Once we understand that, we can begin to understand how we should treat our fellowmen.”
-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
No matter how you’re feeling today or what you’ve done in the past, you’re a VIP in the eyes of God – and no mere mortal person has the right to make you feel anything less than that. You are wonderful. You are worthwhile. You are important, special, divine. You deserve respect, encouragement, hope and love.
Because, no matter what, you are and always will be a very important person to our Father. When we come unto Him, He throws the gates of Heaven open and welcomes us with open arms. He reaches for us, calls to us, and hopes that we will answer.
Of course, if we want the VIP treatment for ourselves, we should also extend it to others.
As I reflected on our VIP experience, I remembered how fun it was to be singled out for preferential treatment. I began to wonder…
What can I do, every day, to show my friends and family members that they are VIPs in my life?
How can I extend this VIP treatment to the people in my home, community and world?
Does my behavior toward my brothers and sisters reflect their VIP status?
Do my words and my actions help the people I interact with remember their worth?
When we really, truly realize that we are all VIPs and children of our Heavenly Father, we realize that we can’t treat someone else poorly without disrespecting our own divine nature. It’s more than just treating others as we want to be treated – it’s treating others how we all deserve to be treated. We are all entitled to love, respect, forgiveness, and the very best that human goodness has to offer. It’s not just VIP privilege, it’s a part of who we are and who we were made to be.
It’s who I am.
It’s who YOU are.
Let’s live according to that truth today – and every day.
This post originally appeared on NicoleThelin.com on June 26, 2015.