WiScWi asked James D. Maxon:

When did you say "Who should we be trying to make the proudest? Our family? Our friends? Our teachers or bosses? What about the one who molded us out of the earth itself, who formed us like clay, and instilled within us the very breath of life that shaped the universe?" And if you remember the context, that would be great too...

James D. Maxon This was written on 11/4/2011. You can find this and other quotes at https://jamesmaxon.com/James-Maxon-In... , which list the date they were written. I revised it slightly at some point, as the beginning was “Who should we be trying to make the most proud?” While I like that way better, I think “proudest” is more grammatically correct. Since it’s been nearly 10 years, I don’t remember the exact situation, but I’m pretty sure it came due to frustrations at work. Trying to please the President there was akin to banging one’s head against a wall. Some people are impossible to please no matter how hard you try. And then it occurred to me: so what? He’s not the one I should be trying to make the most proud, anyway. From there the thought expanded to other situations that people may find themselves in. While it’s good to do our best for those in our lives, at the end of the day, what matters most is pleasing God. In that, there’s a sort of relief and release of earthly burden, and a change in focus.

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