Mr. Lightbulb by Richard Rohr

Great people are usually humble. They understand and accept that they draw from another Source; they are satisfied to be an instrument. Their genius is not of their own making but a gift. They do great things precisely because they do not take first or final responsibility for their gift, and they don’t worry much about their failures. They understand that their life is not their own but has been entrusted to them. Someone Else has taken them seriously, and they feel profoundly respected, which is what men ultimately want and need.

A few weeks ago I was invited to meet with Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Cape Town, South Africa. He told me that he—and I—were mere lightbulbs. We get all the credit and seem to be shining brightly for all to see, but we both know that if this lightbulb was unscrewed from its source for even a moment, the brightness would immediately stop.

He laughed hilariously afterwards, and gave me a wink of understanding!

Where is the abundance in my life?
And how do I pass it along to others?

FROM DAY 341 OF FR. RICHARD'S NEW BOOK: On the Threshold of Transformation: Daily Meditations for Men