Be a Maker and Not a Consumer
Great Advice from Reverend Dan Wolf
Be a Maker and Not a Consumer. These words were spoken by Reverend Dan Wolf to a group of honor students at St. Johns Country Day School located in Orange Park, Florida. As the keynote speaker at the National Honor Society Induction Ceremony, Reverend Wolf delivered a speech that had meaning, purpose, and value.
Be a Maker and Not a Consumer . . . What does this mean? Reverend Wolf pointed out that a person can choose to be a maker or a consumer. It is much better and much more rewarding to be a maker. Each day, we consume products and information. A person can go to the mall or online and purchase shoes, clothing, or the latest tech device. A person can also be a consumer of information in the form of reading through Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat posts. As so aptly noted by Reverend Wolf, when is the last time that a life has been changed or enhanced by the viewing of an Instagram post? Furthermore, how does the viewing of an Instagram post or purchase of clothing make a person better or make a true difference in the life of the consumer? If there is such a purchase or Instagram post that truly changes and enhances a person's life, Reverend Wolf wants to see it. The truth is that a person can get so much more out of life by being a maker.
Reverend Wolf noted that t
he three essential ingredients of being a maker are risk, challenge, and failure. Consuming things requires none of these. But when we endeavor to make things, we take risks, face challenges, and learn from failures which serve as a furnace for transformation.
Reverend Wolf asked the each person attending the National Honor Society Ceremony to think of his or her most important life accomplishment. As noted by Reverend Wolf, this accomplishment would vary from person to person but one common thread would be that the accomplishment would be something that was made rather than something purchased or consumed. Reverend Wolf was advising the students, family members, and faculty alike to go out in the world and do something rather than just be a consumer of things and information.
Reverend Wolf was "practicing what he preached" in serving as the keynote speaker for the event. It was clear that Reverend Wolf took time and effort to craft the speech that was specifically tailored to the students being inducted into the National Honor Society. He took the theme of being a maker and incorporated the virtues and values of the pillars of the National Honor Society - Scholarship, Leadership, Character, and Service. Reverend Wolf took time out of his day and schedule to be a "maker" for the students, families, and faculty at St. Johns Country Day School. He inspired, mentored, and enlightened the audience with his words of wisdom and recommendations to take action.
You can read more about Reverend Dan Wolf and his church at the Official Website for Grace Anglican Church - Fleming Island at:
The Good Deed Brigade salutes Reverend Dan Wolf and all of the other makers out there making the community a better place and inspiring others to do their part as well.
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Remember, wherever you see the Good Deed Brigade, it's all good.
