Leaders in Training

"Let the wise listen and add to their learning and let the discerning get guidance." Proverbs 1:5 (NIV)

Last week was a really big week in the never-ending 24/7 American news cycle. Monday we witnessed total incompetence in the Democratic Iowa caucus as officials failed to count votes and declare a winner. Tuesday we witnessed a government leader throw a temper tantrum during the President's State of the Union address. Wednesday we saw our President verbally unleash three years of anger and frustration during a so-called "victory lap" after his impeachment acquittal was announced. Both sides of the political aisle demonstrated an appalling lack of leadership, discipline, and self-control.

I walked into my Bible study classroom Wednesday night prepared to teach a lesson on Romans chapter 4. By day, this classroom serves as a music classroom for third grade school children. In the afternoons, my Romans classroom serves as a ballet rehearsal room for budding ballerinas. As I began preparing the room for my students, I glanced at the bulletin board behind me. It read:

Leaders in Training

    Listen attentively    Initiate kindness    Take responsibility

As I read the words again and again, I couldn't help but marvel at the contrast between the training these third graders are receiving each day and the actions displayed by those who have chosen to be government leaders. What a difference it would make in our civil discourse if our elected leaders actually led us in the right direction, ie, listening attentively, showing kindness, and taking responsibility. Instead we are being fed a constant stream of division and partisanship where our supposed leaders refuse to listen, are mean spirited, and fail to take responsibility for his or her actions.

Later upon reflection, I suddenly realized that the music teacher's wise words aren't just good words for third graders or angry government leaders. Those words are also good words for me. It's been said that leadership is actually "stewardship of people." All of us have some sort of leadership position during our lives. Perhaps it's in the classroom, workplace, family, or even in government. This wise teacher's words: listen attentively, initiate kindness, and take responsibility are words that can apply to all of us. Beyond applying to us, the "leaders in training" directives could also frame our prayers for our government leaders. What if each of us prayed for our leaders to listen attentively, initiate kindness, and take responsibility? That's a prayer that would certainly honor God.

I entered my classroom prepared to teach. I left having received an important lesson, wisdom from above for living here below. Today in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, may we listen attentively, initiate kindness, and take responsibility for God's glory and others' good.