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 By Barry Buzza
"Know thyself", wrote Socrates.
We can really only know ourselves as we relate to our Creator. Since we have no life apart from God and no destiny outside of him. Technically you could say your bicycle is still a bicycle while it sits in your basement and deteriorates, but it can never fulfill its created purpose until it is securely in the grip of its rider.
Knowledge of one's self becomes self-evident as we come to understand how we are wired. I call is a seven-braided cord.
• Begin by coming to grips with your inborn motivational gift. Our Creator wired one of seven coloured gifts into each of us. Insight-the innate ability to see or know; servant-to be fulfilled by taking a behind-the-scenes servant role. Teacher-the natural ability to communicate truth. Encourager-to build up those around you. Giver-a God-given desire to give away what we have; leader-to stand up front, bring order and lead and mercy-to feel the pain of others. Good parents will help their preschool children discover and know their natural gifting and begin to shape them according to that gift. Whichever of these seven gifts has been wired into us at conception will determine our basic motivation and what fulfills us.
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• Number two is your personality. Are we an extrovert (energized by being around others) or an introvert (energized by being alone). Neither is better, but knowing who we are will help us avoid frustration.
• Thirdly, what are your talents? Natural abilities such as speaking, cooking, art, music, athletics, crafts, etc.
• Fourthly-what are your passions? What do you love to do? If you are a teacher, do you love languages, small children, handicapped people?
• Fifthly-what are your skills. These are learned abilities. I, for example, am not a natural gardener or builder, but I've learned how to do both from my father. A pianist may not have a God-given talent, but through time and discipline, she can learn to play skillfully.
• Life experiences have a huge effect on how we do life. Both good and bad experiences have helped shape us into who we are today.
• The seventh thread is our current place in life. Our age, health, family relationships, education and economic stability will all affect who we are and what we are destined to do.
That seven braided cord will serve to weave a coat which will identify who we are. For example, a policeman's coat shows that he has authority to uphold the law. Likewise does a clergyman's robe, a baker's jacket or a jockey's shirt. What coat are you wearing? Who has your Creator destined you to be?
It usually takes us about 30 years to come to an understanding of who we are. We try on different personas to see what fits, but hopefully over the years we come to "know ourselves". To me that's when the journey of life begins to point to the destiny which can ultimately bring us fulfillment and meaning.
Barry Buzza, a veteran pastor, is also the president of the The Foursquare Gospel Church of Canada. www.foursquare.ca
October 26/2007
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