Volume XXIV, Number 11 (Issue 1162) March 16, 2026
“I Have Only Been an Instrument”
Abraham Lincoln uttered those words in January 1865. At the time, he could not know that both his life and the Civil War would soon end. Lincoln, of course, was felled by an assassin’s bullet on April 14, 1865, while the Civil War would officially draw to a close on April 9 with Lee surrendering to Grant at Appomattox Court House. Considering the profound nature of Lincoln’s statement, it is clear he was reflecting on the totality of his life – especially the four years spent guiding the Union, including his momentous decision to put forward the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863.
Among some of his other achievements while in office, Lincoln is known for assembling a cabinet unlike any before or since. He accomplished this feat by selecting a group of men who saw and believed things that were in sharp contrast to his own views. (Unfortunately, in 1861, women were not considered for such roles.) Lincoln made this radical move in the belief that in times of great struggle and peril, hearing, knowing, and understanding different points of view could do nothing but help him, his administration, and our country. His aim in pursuing this strategy was the belief that he did not have all of the answers. But by listening to others, he might find clarity – something sorely needed in an unparalleled time.
As we know, Lincoln was a man of incredible conviction. In addition, he was a man of great humility. Should there be any doubt, one needs to look no further than today’s title. Yet that is only part of the reason so many consider him to be our country’s greatest president.
As I consider my own life, there are a number of things I have said and done that I would gladly undo if life worked that way. But inasmuch as that is not possible, I try hard to remember that like everyone else, I am called on to be an instrument that makes a positive difference in the lives of others. Thus, as I reflect upon Lincoln’s thought that he was but an instrument, I believe that the good I have accomplished, such as it is, is none of my doing, but rather that of a higher power working through me.
Come summer it will be thirty-six years since I settled upon my and our company’s mission statement: “helping individuals and organizations transform their potential into performance.” Drawn almost entirely from Romans 12:2, (“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable.), I find that I am called to be an instrument designed and destined to serve others. What about you? Are we not all called to serve others in our own unique and purposeful ways?
Soli Deo Gloria
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” 1 Peter 4:10-11
J. Keith Hughey
Mobile: (210) 260-0955
E-mail: keith@jkeithhughey.com
Website: www.jkeithhughey.com
Transforming Potential into Unmatched Performance
Copyright 2026 by J. Keith Hughey. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted for reproduction and redistribution of this essay as provided under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Recent issues of Musings may be found at www.jkeithhughey.com. Your comments are both welcomed and encouraged.