| The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life, is what is important. “ |
| – Martin Luther King Jr. |
Innate in our nature is – The want to be first, the want to be great, the want to be important, the want to be significant.
Well it is a good instinct if you use it right. It’s a good instinct if you don’t distort it or pervert it.
Don’t give up this want to be any of these as you live your life.
Keep feeling the need to be important and to be first. But aim to be the first in Love, the first in Moral Excellence, the first in Generosity, the first in Integrity, the first in Kindness, the first in Humility, the first in Patience.
First you must first earn it. True greatness comes not by favouritism but by the fitness of Character
Greatness is a gift – it belongs to those to those who are prepared. Prepared to Serve.
So if want to be important – wonderful!
If you want to be recognised – wonderful!
If want to be significant – wonderful!
If you want to be great – wonderful!!
But recognise that being Great means you need to be the servant. You need to serve others.
So this means everybody can be great – because everyone can serve. You don’t need a college degree, or to have studied Plato, or to have achieved superior feats, or to have received numerous awards.
You don’t need to know Newton’s Law or intricate scientific theories. You don’t need Diplomas or passports.
You only need a Heart full of Grace, a soul full of love and a willingness to serve.
Life’s common denominator is Death. It comes to everyone at some time.
In Martin Luther King Jr’s speech – The Drum Major he reflected:
“I don’t want a long funeral or a long Eulogy. I don’t want my awards or my successes mentioned.
I want people to say that – I tried to be somebody – I tried to do right – I did try to feed the hungry – I did try to cloth those who were naked – I tried to visit those in prison – I tried to love and to serve all humanity.
If you want to say I was Drum Major – say I was a Drum Major for Peace and for Righteousness.
I won’t have any money or the fine luxuries of life to leave behind.
I want to leave a committed life behind.”
Today is Martin Luther King Jr Day in America. Perhaps it is a day to ponder about your own death so as to instruct you on how better you can live. Perhaps it a day to ponder on what you would like to have said about you.
Things like:
- What did you do to benefit others? Who did you try to serve? Who did you try to love? Who did you try to feed, to clothe and visit?
- What contributions did you try to make to improve individuals, family, groups, organisations?
- What were you really a Drum Major for?
The time to think about these points is now –for the time of your Eulogy is too late.
Martin Luther left behind a legacy of courage, of service, of intellect, of love, of everlasting oratory.
His Greatness came from his willingness to serve and his courage to pursue his Dream.
We were all born to be Great!
Let us be Great in Character and in Loving ourselves and others.
