The Need For Significance

[Dr. Shane]

The ability to control others or to influence major decisions they make is a primary way to sastisfy man's need for significance. We see this demonstrated in the public arena primarily in the area of politics.  It is at the root of many problems in the home.  The husband tries to dominate the wife.  The wife resists and uses manipulation to control the husband.  In business, as in politics, titles and positions often bring with them power.  Rightly seen, such power does not belong to an individual, but rather to a position.  The President of the United States and the Chairman of the board at Ford Motor Company both have a great amount of power.  However, once they move out of that position, there are many people that will  not even return their phone calls.  The position has significance and creates an illusion to the one in it that he or she does.  But it is only temporary and disappears as soon as that person is no longer in that role.

The need for significance can truly be sastisfied through acts of love.  The greatest act of love in the history of the world is also the most significant event that ever happened.  That is not a coincidence.  God demonstrated His love when His Son gave His life on a cross about 2,000 years ago.  When we do kind acts for others, our brain produces oxytocin and dopamine.  Those are the same hormones the body creates when we are engaged in sexual relations.  We are wired to do good works.  Families that love each other by demonstrating selfless acts of kindness are so much better off than those that try to control each other through domination and manipulation.  Real power doesn't come from a position of authority.  Nor does it come from large sums of money.  Real power comes from love.  There is where we can sastisfy our need for significance.