Accountable At The Core

"What you are is God's gift to you;

what you make of yourself is your gift to God."

George Washington Carver

There is a story about a respected Jewish Rabbi, who when dying was uncontrollably  weeping.  The loved ones gathered around him, asked why he was crying as he had lived such an exceptional life as a  teacher, mentor, and leader.  The man replied, "I am crying as God will ask me not what kind of rabbi I have been, but what kind of person I have been!"  

Our label, position, or influence has little to do with who we truly are at the core.  I am reminded of the saying, integrity is who you are when no one can see you.  Our title is just another description of a part of our selves.  The president of any company or any government does not automatically define a man's true nature.  

As men and women, we have our entire life to try on different roles.  We may master some and stumble with others, but the importance is who we are underneath the roles.  Do we reflect our character and values in everything we do or do they fluctuate according to the circumstances.  

There was a very wealthy man who gave equally large amounts of money to his two sons.  He sent them out into the world to do great things.  The one son created an empire, tripled his money, and was internationally well known.  The other son built shelters in nature stricken environments and orchestrated a medical free medical program for the indigent.  Few people knew his name. The father in the mean time had passed away, but it makes you wonder which son he would have deemed the wisest.  Again, what was the spirit of the man? Neither son was right or wrong gauged by money, but how they had treated others and themselves.

I believe in an after life, and I do sense we will be held accountable for the life we have just lived.  I imagine the Divine being more interested in how I enhanced myself with the tools I had been given than what positions I held throughout my life.  With all titles stripped away, I will be just 'me' accounting for compassion, service, passion, and integrity.