Check Out My Accolades!

You may know this kind of person, and maybe at times ... become this person ... The "accolade" kind of person.

It's OK to admit it ... we, as humans, sometimes fall into this "default mode" of pride and arrogance. But I'm not talking about the times when you become proud of something you've worked so hard to accomplished, more so the affirmation we want or respect we feel we deserve to show off whatever "accolades" we might have ... or for that matter, whatever "accolades" we might create.

I've known people who, for whatever reason, seem to grasp at whatever prize, medal, promotion that comes along to prove, either to themselves or maybe to someone else (or for a more common reason, to be affirmed by colleagues, classmates, family) that they are good, great, best. This isn't a terrible thing, but it's not what makes us who we are ... these "accolades" are all vanities (Ecclesiastes is a dangerous book to read depending on your mood) We're told not to store our treasures on Earth (Matt 6:19), but sometimes we concern ourselves with how we are perceived professionally, either with our titles, schooling, how many initials we have at the beginning of our name and even, at times, with trophies or diplomas of sorts. We hang them nicely on our wall as a means of being recognized for what we've done, or at times what we what other people to THINK we've done. Like I said, this isn't a terrible thing, but it definitely doesn't make us who we are.

Mother Teresa, being born in Macedonia, didn't receive a plaque of honor from the Sisters of Loreto when she first joined at age 18. She didn't get a "Graduate of 1931" diploma for her initial vows, in India. Nor was she given the key to the city when, by permission of the Holy See, She started her own order "The Missionaries of Charity" (whose primary task was to love and care for those who no one else would) ... Yet this woman is a modern day example of Christ's heart, hope, love, compassion, trust ... but also in a worldly manner: determination, commitment, work ethic ... She was completely unconcerned with the chronicling of her life that STILL there is dispute to WHEN she was born ... she didn't care to correct/confirm/recognize herself. This woman had MANY accolades ... but she didn't care at all about the ones for which she received here, on Earth.

Something to chew on.

Until Next Time
KPK