For one to earn respect and/or to be worthy of honor, a person must first find out who he is and what it is that he can do and do well. No one can do all things well nor better than all others. Wherever we go, there are always those who are able to do some things much better than we are able to. Our primary responsibility in youth, is to find out where are talents are and what things we can do more naturally than some others can. We have to know our strengths, then we can determine what important things we can do with those strengths. Those are the things in life that we should concentrate on. If we concentrate on trying to perfect those characteristics more than likely they will be recognized by others in our community. By doing those things we can do well, we will benefit ourselves as well as others. What we do well will give us respect, but what we do respectably along with what and how we think, may one day earn us dignity. A man of dignity has stability, as well as unbending principles and is worthy of others respect.
We are all unique in some way and we must learn to live with our uniqueness and capitalize on it. Johann Wolfgang said, “Whatever you can do, or dream you can…begin it. Boldness has a genius, power, even magic in it.”
Not always, but oft times, our uniqueness is, in fact, our strength. Once our strength or strengths are identified then we need to develop them to their fullest potential. We also have certain weaknesses and we are more likely to fail when we fail to identify them as well. By matching our strengths with those occupations/ professions in life that compliment those strengths, then and only then are we on the road to a successful and happy life. There are those who may feel their strength and think those strengths are obvious to those who hire and promote. That person is a daydreamer. Daydreamers are usually in trouble like this milkmaid:
The Daydreaming Milkmaid
A young girl was on her way home after milking the cow, with a pail of milk on her head. As she walked on, she began to daydream about what she would do with it. She would make cream, and butter from the milk. She would sell the butter, and use the money to buy eggs, from which chickens would hatch. The chickens would lay more eggs, and soon she would have a big business. When prices rose, she would sell some of the birds, and buy a pretty dress. She would look so pretty in it that young men would pursue her, but she would toss her head at them. At this thought, she tossed her head, and the pail of milk fell off her head.
Vitality in mortality comes from knowing who we are, what we can do and do well and then being able to match it with the vocation that will best benefit from our characteristics. We have to believe that we are unique, maybe even that we are a ‘once in all history event.’ However, we should never become cocky about our talents or strengths, as the milkmaid did that is when we lose our humility and others will not want to be around us. If we do not believe that we are unique, then we obviously believe that we are common, just the “run of the mill.” Especially when we compare ourselves with those whom we recognize as having already developed both strength and characteristics. By believing we are common we may as well have been cut from a pattern like gingerbread cookies. Self respect seldom come from a cookie cutter type personality. To be like all others may be appropriate for the Rockettes in Manhattan or the Dallas Cowboy’s cheerleaders but not for someone who wants to gain respect based on their good deeds, deeds that are accomplished through their unique characteristics.
There are those who believe that ‘clothes make the man;’ the nicer and finer the clothes, with a cane and a cigar thrown in, the more dignity and respect one will have. That may only be true until he is asked a question of substance. Then, like the story of the Emperor who wore no clothes, he will be exposed, even by a child. In truth, a ragged man who has the love of his wife and family, and who is known as an honest and truthful person in his community, regard- less of his dress, will have the love and respect of his community, even dignity. Michael J. Fox said a wise thing when he said that; “One’s dignity may be assaulted, vandalized, and cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered.” We can’t accept false limitations. The following story describes what I mean by false limitations:
How High Can You Jump?
“Flea trainers have observed a predictable and strange habit of fleas while training them. Fleas are trained by putting them in a cardboard box with a top on it. The fleas will jump up and hit the top of the cardboard box over and over again. As you watch them jump and hit the lid, something very interesting becomes obvious. The fleas continue to jump, but they are no longer jumping high enough to hit the top. Apparently, Excedrin headache 1738 forces them to limit the height of their jump. When you take off the lid, the fleas continue to jump, but they will not jump out of the box. They won’t jump out because they can’t jump out. Why?
The reason is simple. They have conditioned themselves to jump just so high. Once they have conditioned themselves to jump just so high, that’s all they can do!
Many times, people do the same thing. They restrict themselves and never reach their potential. Just like the fleas, they fail to jump higher, thinking they are doing the best they can do.” Prior to 1954 it was assumed that man could not run a mile in 4:00 minutes. There was a cover on that limitation but Roger Bannister vied to be the first to break the fabled four-minute mile barrier. He did it first on May 6, 1954, and John Landy followed 46 days later. By the end of the 20th century, the record had been lowered to the time of 3:43.13 run by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco in 1999. Those with faith in their ability, are now challenging and breaking records on a daily basis. “There are no traffic jams when you’ve gone the extra mile.” (Anon)
We are made in the image of God, that does not mean an exact image but in His likeness. We are each unique and to capitalize on our uniqueness (likeness) is to have self respect. Without self respect it is highly unlikely that we will earn the respect of others.