Images of Self

Who am I, really?

Who are you, really?

Maybe we should ask the question this way; “What have I been in the past and what am I becoming today?”

Proverbs 23:7 puts it this way:  “As a man/woman thinketh, so is he/she.”

Earl Nightingale says, “You become what you think about it.”

Earl also says “The mind moves in the direction of our currently dominant thoughts.”

Let’s see.  I’ve been a drummer from early age till now.  During my junior high and high school days I was consumed with drums.  I played them; I listened to recordings featuring Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich.  I thought of little else.  I should have become a drum stick, I thought of drums so much.

And then I discovered that I could sing and lead music as a director/conductor.  That was a fun trip which lasted a long time as well.  I watched other directors, I studied musical scores, I dreamed of some day being able to direct some great symphony orchestra in Dvork’s New World Symphony.  I should have become a baton, I thought of directing so much.

And then I dreamed of becoming a great managerial whiz.  I even set my cap for being president of a particular music publishing company by age forty-five.  I got my foot in the door of that organization at age 38 and was on my way.  I would have been a great company president.  If only …

And now I write and speak.  I write and speak because I love to.  But I do it mostly because I want to offer hope, encouragement and inspiration one word at a time to my audience.

My friends Rick and Linda read my blogs.  Linda wrote me one day in appreciation of something I had written and she used the word “philosopher” in reference to my writing.  That was an ironic statement and one that took some getting used to.  I had never seen myself as a “philosopher”.  I’m the guy who thanked Dr. Dunning, my college philosophy professor, for giving me a “D” in philosophy.  I couldn’t quite wrap my mind around the label “Philosopher” and P. Michael Biggs going together. 

So, what is my image of myself?  How do I see myself?

And how do you see yourself? 

Are we successful?

Smart?

          Handsome?            

                            Pretty?

                                      Skinny?

Do people listen when we talk or sing?

Do they read stuff we write?

Are we known as a stable person?

Are we trustworthy?

Are we reliable?

Do we live in integrity?

Do we live the Christian precepts with clarity that we promote?

Are we consistent in our walk and talk?

Are we kind to others?

Do we encourage others with a smile, 

                            a firm hand, a kind word?

Do we love our spouses?

Do our children run to us or from us?

Are we good to our siblings?

Are we a citizen of the world, thinking of the next generation, not just of our time in space?

What are the images within you that you hold dear?

These are sobering and ponderous questions.  I stop often and think on these things. 

You see, I really do believe “I’ll become what I think about.”

What do I want to become?

What do you want to become?

I have the questions. 

For the answers, we each must search our own hearts and minds. 

What beats within you? 

What is your destiny?

What is your God-given gift?

What is your calling in life?

Before you pass from this earth, what do you wish to have accomplished?

If the desire is there, then I believe God has gone ahead of you, prepared you with the gifts and abilities and will help you find the full scope of knowledge required to accomplish that destiny. 

Henry David Thoreau gives us a great summation for these thoughts today.