It was the philosopher Plato who penned one of the shortest verses ever written by a great thinker when he wrote two simple words, “Know thyself.”   So, to discover our destiny the first question we have to answer is “Who am I?”

The question, “Who and I?” may seem elementary or the statement of an amnesiac. We are all a product of our family heritage, educational background, work experience and spiritual experience.  However for many, we loose our identity on the road of “what we do” and “what others expect of us.”  We stop evaluating life; and end up just riding along instead of intentionally driving life in a planned direction.

The question of “Who am I?” is the most important question we will ever embrace.  I first wrestled with this question was when I was in my early 20’s.  I had some life experiences, gained a degree and had found favor in my profession.  However, at the same time, I had this nagging unanswered question as I struggled to understand what I had been put on this earth to do.  For sure I was young and idealistic, but I really believed that I had a specific roll to fill and I wanted to find it.

As I was in the midst of seeking answers to the question “Who am I?” I shared my frustration with an older gentlemen that I trusted. As I was describing my dilemma and the pulling of others to go in their direction he calmly said to me, “I want you to be the best George Gundlach you can be.”  I was stunned by his words.  The thought was both freeing and terrifying.  It was freeing to find someone without an agenda for me.  The terrifying part was wondering how I was to discover my purpose that was lodged somewhere deep within my DNA.  Now, having aged a bit, I find myself along with many others asking that question, “Who am I?” again.

Destiny! Destiny! No escaping that for me.  These memorable words were uttered by Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in Mel Brook’s hilarious comedy “Young Frankenstein.”  Unlike Dr. F., for most of us, there is a real possibility of missing our destiny.  Once we have succeeded in our professions or in raising our families many find themselves in a quandary to know “what’s next.”

I don’t know if you share my experience, but when I became a Christian, during the Jesus movement in the 1970’s, all I could think about was what God wanted me to do with my life.  I was overcome with a sense that I had a destiny.  I knew there was a plan, but what plan?  In those early years I meditated on the words of people like Albert Schweitzer who said, “I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.”  I also found myself fascinated with verses from the bible that said, “…before you were born I set you apart” and “…we are…created…to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” All of this only confirmed my belief that I had a destiny.  The unanswered question was, “How would I discover it?”

Try it for six weeks, six days or six hours…but try it.  Add love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance to the list of behaviors that family, friends, coworkers and associates can expect from you. Expect more of yourself, not others.

But wait, their is someone I can train after all.  It is me!  Whether we are a business person, a parent, a minister, or a mate, there are some fundamentals of behavior that others ought to be able to expect from us.  There is a bonus benefit, too.  When we focus on how we treat others, we won’t have as much time to moan about how others are not living up to our expectations.   

Remember Paul?  No, not McCartney, but Saint Paul.  He had some great advice for what others could expect from us.  After talking about the less then marvelous behaviors most of us exude at one time or another, he challenged his audience to focus on nine dynamic qualities.  He told them to project love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.