The Making of a Man – Sunday, March 30, 1941
The fact that we aspire to things which for the moment are out of reach, is one of the factors which makes possible the everlasting progress of man. But those who merely aspire and let the matter rest there, are in need of sympathy and counsel, and a vigorous push, if necessary. Ofttimes our young people see someone playing a great role in life, and they think they would like to play a great part also, without having any awareness of what has gone into the making of an able man. We see his performance and are thrilled with his mastery of himself and of the things with which he works, but we often forget the years of self-denial, of creative effort and determination that have preceded achievement – years in which mediocre complacency has been given up to engage in an upward struggle.
All of us to some extent, and the young in particular, become impatient because of the requirements of preparation and the delays of time. We see something we suddenly want to become, and we want to override all the preliminaries and prerequisites. We want our dreams to take substance right now – but dreams don’t do that, except in the story books. Many people live their lives waiting for greatness to bestow itself upon them, never taking the first step toward their coveted goal, to say nothing of all the other steps that lie between them and achievement. But it isn’t the nature of things for us to suddenly to become something that we are not. A man is what he is because of what he has been.
We have to live the part we want to play. A human life in time or in eternity is a composite of all that has gone into its making, and persistent smallness of spirit here means smallness of spirit hereafter. Indolence and indifference now mean the rewards of indolence and indifference in times to come. Greatness of character in meeting the passing days means the right to be numbered with those who have greatness of character. A man must begin to be what he would like to be – if that’s what he wants to be. He must travel the road that leads to the destination he has in mind – if that’s where he wants to go. Neither here no hereafter shall we suddenly find ourselves becoming overnight something that we are not, with qualities we have not earned, or enjoying a way of life we are not fitted for.
March 30, 1941
Broadcast Number 0,606