Setting your wages in life is your sole responsibility. I grew up thinking life is unfair. I thought my family was at a disadvantage for so many years. Is life really unfair? Are there not principles that govern the universe or is God partial? I really don’t think this is the case.

The same sun, moon, and rain are available to all. No matter what your color, race or background is, we all have opportunities to make changes and challenges that can help shape our perspectives. What you do with your opportunity and challenges is what determines the outcome you see. Hidden in our challenges are opportunities we barely see, and these are crucial in reaching our next level. Whatever perspectives you gained from your challenges become precedence on how you determine your wages in life. Which means your current experience may be the code to your future benefits. You don’t have to take anything life pushes at you but demand whatever you want.  The secret Jesus taught is, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find.  This is the secret to setting your demand in life (Matthew 7:7). Therefore, you have no excuse.

Is life unfair, or others have it better? Have you ever thought of switching your problems with someone’s else? Your challenges are designed to work for your success. Some have it worse than you can imagine but never to be written off, because from that ruin will emerge a bright new day. It all depends on how you’ve set your wages. Last week, Tiger Woods won the 2019 Masters; a major golf competition. His last win was 14 years ago in 2005. He’s been written off by the press as if his career was dead and forgotten. Some sports analysts said he should retire and that he will never win any major competition again. But, to their surprise, last week the world watched as Tiger Woods won the 2019 Masters.

In spite of his setbacks, he refused to give up. His story was like a man who fell from grace to grass but is now back to grace. He had a broken relationship, and went through a public divorce after the disgrace of infidelity. He lost several endorsements to the tune of millions of dollars. But Woods never stopped demanding from life what his dues are – winning. Life had no choice but to pay him what he demanded; and that is becoming a champion. I would admit that Woods knows how to set his wages regardless of his challenges. Life will not deny him of his wages. 

What wages have you set for yourself? What is your worth? First, ask yourself what can I offer the world? Your wages depend on your worth which is based on what you have to offer the world. How good are you at it? Is it life impacting? Are you so good and confident that you could be a commodity to this world? Life will treat you based on your expectations. Until you create one, people will push you around. Nobody seems to see your struggles and hard work.  The value of your wages is the value of your worth.

Know your worth. Have you ever thought about the challenges that precious stones and metals go through before shining, and being appreciated? It’s a lot; but at the end of it all, it’s worth it. That’s why people will pay any price to be adorned with them. Moreover, precious stones and metals have no choice but to be precious. That’s their nature. Even though they face the challenges of refining, shaping, cutting, and sculpting, it is all about making them what they were created to be.

You have to set your wages high because you are precious. Some of your challenges are due to the level of the glory you are carrying. Embrace the opportunities in those challenges and see it as a process that is needful to make you the best that God wants you to be. 

However, don’t neglect to set your wages. Life will not give you what you deserve. It will not treat you fairly or smile at you, nor hug and pat your back. Square up with life and demand your wages. If you have one shot at life to demand your wages, set it as high as possible. Look for the opportunities in your challenges. Whatever your wages are, make it the best you want from life without allowing any limitations. It’s your chance. Dream big!