Several years ago I was privileged to hear a self-made millionaire speak at a business conference on the subject of self management. He had grown up on an Indian reservation in Arizona and worked at the tribal owned meat packing plant, eventually making it into middle management. One day he walked in and abruptly quit his job. His family was understandably shocked at what they considered a hasty decision. He told his father he knew in his heart that he was better than what he was doing, so he methodically set out to become independently wealthy over the next seven years. Although he had no MBA nor had received any higher education, he said he had learned something about himself that radically changed his life.
After years of self evaluation he came to the conclusion that all of us are actually made up of four people. The first person he called the "person I want you to think I am", the showcase person. Second is the "person I think I am", some might call the egocentric person. Third is the "person I am", harsh reality. He spent a great deal of time talking about the inner conflict he had experienced as a result of who he was, where he was and what he was doing with his life. Then he suggested there is a fourth person, "the person I can become." The point of his powerful presentation was this, WHAT AM I BECOMING?
All of us are always in the process of "becoming", but what are we becoming? When I get to the end, and we will all get there, will I have become what I am happy with? I have often reflected on that brave man who allowed God to lead him to a new place in life and gave him the opportunity to challenge others with that message.
After years of one failure after another, God finally had enough of King Saul's lame excuses for his obstinate disobedience. The weary old prophet Samuel confronted Saul one last time and informed him that God had fired him with these words, "The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of His people because you have not kept the Lord's command." 1 Samuel 13:14
About fifteen years later God sent Samuel to the home of a farmer to anoint the new king, Jesse's youngest son David. God told Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height....The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 Then we have this note, "From that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power."
Over his forty year career as Israel's king, David proved God right about him because he never stopped growing, he never stopped becoming, even though he had to live through a lot of mistakes and failures of his own making.
What am I becoming? If I continue on the road I am now walking, will it take me where I truly want to go? Give it some thought and join me here tomorrow and we will continue this discussion. If you have something to contribute, join in.
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