Do you believe in destiny? Do you believe that you are a unique creation, and that you were put here for a purpose? Do you know what that purpose is? You can believe the underlying principles without knowing your own purpose, but if you believe the principles you should want to know and live in it. Can you follow the principles to their logical conclusion? If you have a unique contribution assigned to you and you don’t make it, then the world is impoverished for the lack of it. Don’t let a stone cry out because you won’t. Don’t let the world be diminished because you held back. 

I said that if you seek, you would find. Do you find this to be a tremendous promise; that your searching would not be in vain? Is there anything more frustrating than a fruitless search? Consider the unstated implication of this promise. If you find what you look for, you have to be looking for the right things in order to find them. For if you look for the wrong things you will find those instead. Do you judge others by the questions they ask as much as by the answers they give? Judge yourself this way too. What does it profit a man to have the right answers to the wrong questions?

Do you put forth an extra effort to gain favor with those above you, to whom you are beholden, or who are in a position to reward you? It is your duty to please those that you report to in your job, but this behavior can go beyond good work performance, and it is known by some ungracious terms. How many people do you know who put forth the same effort toward those below them, who are not in a position to reciprocate or reward them? This is rare enough that the corresponding terms in popular jargon do not exist, but love, kindness, and compassion would seem to apply.

The Bible makes many references to soldiers. This is an image that everyone can relate to regardless of whether they have served in uniform or not. The admirable qualities of a soldier include pleasing the one who has called him to serve, and lack of entanglement in distractions. Good soldiers have discipline, focus, and a sense of mission. These qualities transfer directly to the conduct of believers even if their service to me doesn’t involve weapons. Do you know what your commander expects of you?