If You Are Not the Man…

Journal Entry: April 24, 2024

Today, in talking with a client who kept going on about his ideas and why they wouldn’t ever come to light, I said, “It’s not as much about the ideas as the aptitude. If you are NOT the man, you will not perform like him.” This insight struck a chord as I pondered its implications during my afternoon reflections.

Aptitude over Ideas

In my journey through life, I’ve encountered countless ideas—each shimmering with potential, like stars scattered across the night sky. [I call myself the stormer of brains.. ] However, this mantra reminds me that the possession of ideas, no matter how brilliant, is only part of the equation. The crux lies in one’s aptitude—the inherent capacity to bring these ideas to fruition. It’s a call to self-awareness and a reminder that the embodiment of ideas is not merely intellectual but profoundly personal and rooted in one’s very being.

Aptitude encompasses more than skill; it includes our dispositions, our resilience, and our ability to adapt and grow. It’s about alignment between one’s inner capacities and the roles they aspire to fulfill. In my counseling, I often emphasize the importance of aligning one’s strengths with their pursuits, for misalignment leads to dissonance and inefficacy. We must be the vessel fit for the message we wish to carry.

Identity and Performance

The mantra subtly underscores the significance of identity in performance. “If you are NOT the man, you will not perform like him.” Here, ‘the man’ symbolizes the ideal persona, equipped and ready for the tasks at hand. This is a call to cultivate ourselves, to become ‘the man’—or person—capable of performing at the level our dreams demand.

In my personal reflections, I delve into the essence of who I am and who I am becoming. Identity is not static; it is an evolving narrative, shaped by experiences, choices, and intrinsic growth. In my roles as a mentor and pastor (aka, comprehensive advisor), I recognize that each facet of my identity influences how I engage with the world and how effectively I can enact my ideas.

Knowing Oneself in the Gospel

Finally, this mantra brings me to consider the spiritual dimension of self-knowledge, particularly through the lens of the Gospel. The Christian faith, at its core, teaches us that true knowledge of self is inextricably linked with the knowledge of God. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.”

The Gospel offers a transformative perspective on identity. It tells us that our truest self is found not in isolation but in relation to Christ, who redeems and redefines us. This divine relationship doesn’t erase our individuality; rather, it completes it. Knowing oneself in the Gospel is recognizing that our aptitudes, roles, and identities are gifts from God, meant to be used for His glory and the service of others.

In embracing this Gospel-centered identity, I am reminded that performance is not about striving in one’s own strength but about moving in the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s about being shaped and used by God, becoming the person He has called and equipped me to be—a vessel fit for His noble purposes.

Thus, as I meditate on today’s mantra, I am encouraged not only to seek deeper self-awareness but also to embrace the transformative and renewing power of the Gospel in every aspect of life. In this, my identity is not just about aptitude or performance but about becoming more like Christ, the truest model of who we are meant to be.

This reflection, born from the depths of my ever-thinking brain, reaffirms my commitment to growth, both personal and spiritual. As I strive to align my aptitudes with my roles and responsibilities, I am ever mindful of the divine interplay between my identity and my calling. In the Gospel, I find the ultimate guide to self-knowledge and the fullest expression of identity, where my aptitudes and divine purpose align in beautiful harmony.

May this journey of self-discovery continue to be rich and enlightening, guiding me closer to the person I am called to be, in Christ and for the world.

1. 1 Corinthians 15:10
   “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”
2. Ephesians 2:10
   “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
3. Romans 12:6-8
   “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”
4. Galatians 2:20
   “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
5. Psalm 139:13-14
   “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
6. 2 Corinthians 5:17
   “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
7. Jeremiah 1:5
   “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
8. Philippians 2:13
   “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
9. 1 Peter 2:9
   “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
10. Proverbs 16:3
    “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”