One of the phrases I have heard numerous times throughout my life is ‘self-made.’ He is a self-made man, she is a self-made woman, they are a self-made millionaire. While this phrase is not quite as common as it once ways, it continues to be both troubling and inaccurate.
There is no such thing as a self-made person.
First and foremost, all human beings are made by God in the image of God. They are not self-made. We exist because of God and everything we have and can do is because of God. Secondly, all human beings come to be because of two people. We do not need to get into the nuances of this, but the biology is simple to understand. While these two rationales may be oversimplifications, that does not make them less true, regardless of what one believes.
Beyond these oversimplifications, not one of us is who we are without the influence of others. I often tell people that I am who I am because of other people. Family, friends, instructors, mentors, bosses, colleagues and even strangers. I often muse that the three biggest reasons that I am the person I am today are Jesus, the amazing mentors I have had in my life as well as the strong women I have had in my life.
We all are who we are because of the people, the experiences and the education (through educational institutions and other life lessons) that we have experienced. Throughout life, we become who we are through success and failure, through triumph and tragedy.
There is no such thing as a self-made person.
We need each other. We make each other better. In a world that grows increasingly independent and selfish, we assume we do not need each other. Nothing can be further from the truth.
Recently, I lost one of my mentors, someone who had a huge impact on my life. I have other mentors who are aging, facing health issues and, as we all do, getting older. It has caused me to reflect more deeply and regularly (this is something I already think about with some regularity) on the people who have helped me become who I am today.
This is the gift of the church. We need each other. We need community. We make each other better. We are created to be in relationship. We all are who we are, not because of what we have done, not because we are self-made, but because of God and the amazing people and experiences that have been given to us by God.
Good leaders will not forget this. As leaders, we are not self-made, we are God made, we are others made. Let us not forget this.
Rev. Dr. Marcus J. Carlson, Executive Director, Preparing for
0 Comments