One of the most famous sayings in Ancient Greece is also one of the simplest: Know thyself. But there’s a reason this aphorism has gained popularity, as it rings true even today. According to organizational leader and coach Frances Acu, knowing who we are helps us define our values, discover our strengths and gifts, and help draw a picture of our future.
In previous episodes, Acu talked about how everyone can be a servant leader, why servant leaders should model their leadership style after Jesus, and the importance of love for servant leaders. In another episode of Breaktime Breakthroughs, Acu discusses how servant leaders can uncover their purpose and true calling.
Acu shared that she has encountered a lot of people who do not know their life purpose. There are people who feel empty, anxious, and depressed because of their uncertainty if what they do has value or meaning. Austrian neurologist Viktor Frankl believes that life is not primarily a quest for pleasure or power, but a quest for meaning. Acu previously talked about how if we belong to and are loved by God, we get to understand what matters to Him most and what should matter to us. By knowing what’s important to God, we get to see who He created us to be.
Our hearts are like holes that we fill in with things that we consider important. As hard as we try to fill our hearts with what the world offers – beauty, riches, or validation from others, do they really get filled? And if we ever feel satisfied, does the feeling stay? The hole in our hearts is a God-shaped hole. The things of this world will never truly satisfy our hungry souls because we’re made to worship God for eternity.
Author John Ortberg reveals that “the object of life according to Jesus is breathtakingly simple and it’s to be rich towards God.” However, we keep on delaying doing things that matter because we’re busy with life. As the saying goes, “If the devil can’t make you bad, he will make you busy.” According to Reverend Sydney Smith, “Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.”
Time is a great equalizer – we all have 24 hours in a day, regardless of our status in life. The question is: Where will we choose to give our time? There are two great commandments that are built on love. Servant Leadership is about leading the way Jesus did – serving and loving others. We can only do this if we are rich towards God. We begin to be rich towards God by Him what He desires the most – Ourselves.
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