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02 Deaconiea
The next archetype is the executionist. The one who can execute but can't see very well. They just have to have a plan. As long as you have a plan for the Deaconieas, they are able to shape with excellence, that plan to perfection. This is not something you learn in a book. You can practise or try to learn from a teacher or course but now we're talking about the elemental truth of your soul, the default natural ability that derives pleasure in perfecting with artisanal flair and finesse.
A hand-crafted plan, script, or score. Think of luxury chocolate, Swiss watches, and French camembert cheese. Think of whatever luxury item you can think of. These people are really competitive, they love to win, and they strive to win first place. They revel in contests and have exceptional focus. They can take direction and follow through. Think of Roger Federer, he was an all-rounder really. He could play many sports and do many activities. But once he found his tennis ability—whether you're talking about a French footballer, or whether you're talking about Spanish tennis player Nadal who can deliver a backhand crosscourt, you think of all the more recent ones. Even in the past, you have many who are exceptionally talented to see the context; they see the game; they research the history of the game; they take videotapes; they listen; they watch their competitors play their game and see how they can break, crush their competition, maximise this talent and really turn something that's strong into something superb.
You think of the case of Eliezer in the Bible. Here's a servant person who is so excellent in his work. Another one was Rebecca who was able to serve and carry out the plans. In this case, this man Eliezer is a servant of Abraham, and he carries out the plan; he executes the plan; he implements the plan to find Isaac a wife. He did it. There are many highly irreplaceable civil-servants — they're everywhere all over society, and not just sportsmen and artists; there are bakers; there are tailors, you think of all the tailors in New York they're all competing. You think of people who make bags or shoes and that kind of thing. It has to be Deaconic, it has to be iconic, it has to be award winning.
Some gifted individuals are gifted in this direction, and they can charge whatever they want; and people will pay and they don't have to work very hard either. If you go to Switzerland, you can see some of the hairdressers that only open once a week or twice a week and even that is by appointment only. And the rest of the time they're skiing on the slopes and they're thinking, they're creating what better way to cut the hair or style the hair. You pay more if you go to a stylist not a hair cutter or barber.
So, this is what it's all about. You think of any five-star restaurant, think of any Michelin-star chef or restaurant. Nowadays they have chicken rice or whatever mee pok hawker who’s got a Michelin star. And why is it? It’s because his chicken rice or her mee pok is the highest possible level of artisanship that you can think of.
So, these are the people who are driven to excel and this is the gift of the hand. This is what Howard Gardner calls the kinaesthetic intelligence. Anything body-movement oriented: flexibility of the body, the legs, the neck, and the hands. Particularly the hands because that is the thing that can grip. That’s the anatomical difference between a man and a monkey. It’s the ability to craft and create with the 10 fingers and make an impact. So, we’re talking about how your soul has been created from your mother’s womb. This is your heavenly father’s design from your mother’s womb.
This particular archetype is the one who is the perfectionist. Of course, perfectionism has its blind spots. You think of the rock bands of the past, you think of how many of the other Elvis Presley’s and the Michael Jackson’s died of drugs, overdose or whatever it was. The Marilyn Monroes and the other movie stars. Why? If you give a script to a George Clooney, by himself, George Clooney is nothing; but if you’ve got a script, George Clooney becomes the George Clooney that you know.
The DEA is able to execute the plan and of course in the Christian context we know what the plan is. It’s called the “will of God”. And there are some people who are able—once they get the plan—to execute the plan. The one we saw just now (Prophetiea), he doesn’t execute the plan, he writes the plan. He’s the one who can write the manifesto; he can articulate the plan, he can see the plan. His is the gift of the eye. This one (Deaconiea) is the gift of the hand. The gift of the eye is what Gardner calls the visual-spatial intelligence, but the gift of the hand is kinesthetic. It’s manipulative in a good way, like a sculptor or Leonardo DaVinci, some famous painter or sculptor that sort of a thing. But there are chefs, there are architects who build buildings, skyscrapers. You think of I.M. Pei you think of Moshe Safdie (he made a big name for himself here in Singapore designing the ark; there’s like Noah’s ark on three casinos/MBS).
There are many Bible characters who are Deaconieas—Ruth is an example of execution. And Esther was another one who had the plan, from Mordecai of course (Mordecai was the kingmaker behind the scenes), but it was Esther who executed the plan. You think of Heber’s wife with a hammer and pounding the nail through the head of Sisera.
I’m showing you seven characters in the Bible with their respective descriptions. Then I’m going to ask you the question, “Which one is you?”
Footnotes:
John Samuel and Skip Moen: “The drive and urge to get the job done, to carry out the instructions or the command of another or others. Individuals will ensure full and complete execution of the task and meet the expressed need, even at the cost of much personal sacrifice.”
