Aristotle said, "He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander."
Folks, I think this explains many things. The people who don't learn to obey go the opposite route and feel entitled. This attitude, uncorrected, produces bad supervisors at work, uncooperative workers, arrogant politicians, unhappy marriages/relationships, and unruly children. We live in an an exceptionally entitled world where people don't feel they ever need to obey anything. Then they get out there and run the show - and torture the rest of us. I'm not sure when it happened, but there has been a distinct shift during my 50 years on this planet. Nothing was ever perfect, but it was different than today. Entitlement and the arrogance that goes with it creates an ugly vibe and a spirit of retaliation in others, who often also feel entitled. This is the kind of non-cooperative atmosphere where we wind up barking at each other and chasing our tails, accomplishing nothing.
Here is the flipside: A humble and obedient spirit equates with a person who gets along with people even in difficult situations. They bend, they do not break. They cooperate and compromise instead of ranting and raving for their own way. This is the type of leader we need, in our homes, in our workplaces, and in our nations.
In a society that has become so entitled, how do we get back to this, is the question. The sensible people get so turned off by the idiots, particularly in politics, that they just walk away, leaving the entitled children in charge. We need maturity, not childishness, in our homes, workplaces, and on all political levels.
We particularly need maturity in our media, whose influence is frighteningly powerful. Most journalists and reporters prepare opinion pieces, not news. Entitlement and ego drives this. A humble spirit would drive a very different type of reporter/journalist, the sort who wishes to inform and enlighten the public, not guide their opinions like a dog herds sheep.
This weekend celebrates Jesus Christ. He died a brutal, sacrificial death for those he loves and who love him, and even for those who don't love him. If we (individually and collectively) could tap into the source of that humility and servanthood, realizing that it's a privilege to serve our fellow human beings, that is key to keeping the humanity in the human race and to keeping the civil in "civilization." This is how to capture the cooperation of individuals and the masses.
We don't resent cooperating with someone who has proven they will give their all for us. It cultivates a spirit of cooperation and community, and in the home, it cultivates love. This is why Christ's example is used when talking about the home and how a husband is to "give up his life for her, as Christ gave himself up for the church." Now that's the kind of love any woman can appreciate. This is an attitude much more likely to create a cooperative, loving marriage, rather than the "everyone out for themselves" attitude that is prevalent in most relationships.
Servant leadership is the only successful leadership, in any aspect of life, because true success isn't about money or influence or a picture perfect family, but these things flow from true success. True success is knowing that someone in this world is happier or better off because of you. This Easter weekend is a good time to reflect on the example set by Christ, the ultimate servant leader. He is the perfect role model for all, whatever faith group one chooses, Christian or otherwise.
Happy Easter.
No comments:
Post a Comment