Trump Or Jesus?
Let’s pause for a moment this week and reflect upon the 4 essentials of authentic leadership: Glory, Grace, Truth and Worthiness. In so doing, I invite you to take five minutes and reread the previous four posts to the right.
With these essentials in mind, I’m going to take a risk here and comment upon the upcoming electoral leadership choices in America. Risky because of the extreme polarization out there and risky because it's sure to ruffle a few oppositional feathers.
Let me preface these comments by stating emphatically that I am apolitical. I will confess to being liberal in my leanings, as this is how I have personally perceived the teachings of Jesus, not politically, but rather compassionately. I also confess to having registered both as a Democrat and Independent; Democrat because I believe in the party’s founding ideology and precepts, but now struggle with it’s evolving bureaucracy and plutocracy.
I will also confess to having voted for Republicans Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush because I truly believed both to be genuine, authentic and compassionate. But not perfect! I had the unique opportunity of meeting with President Bush, personally on three occasions: The White House, Philadelphia and Portland, Maine.
In the latter, he stopped to view one of our facilities. At the conclusion of the tour, we stood together in the gymnasium. On the wall was a scripture verse, which he pointed out with a positive comment. As we and the divisional leaders chatted, his entourage paced nervously and impatiently near the exit. But he took his time with us, and we concluded our conversation with prayer.
The story doesn't stop there. Six months later at the White House, entering the Roosevelt room, he made a beeline for me, calling me by name (he remembered), warmly mentioning our visit in Portland, complementing the exceptional Army leaders in that division by name, then Majors Rick and Janet Munn. Did I agree with every decision he made, politically? No, I didn’t, just as many did not agree with every decision I made (Not perfect!). More important to me was that, agree or not, his authenticity and compassion shined through.
This brings me back to 2016 and the choice before me, personally, predicated upon the 4 essentials of authentic leadership profiled in these posts: Glory, Grace, Truth, Worthiness. Based upon these, I will state, emphatically, that I cannot vote for Donald Trump, as his authenticity and compassion do not shine through. He fails the "Leadership Essentials Test," miserably.
This is captured in an online quiz created by two Christian screenwriters. It brilliantly employs these leadership essentials, illustrating perfectly the mission and vision of this blog—Love Leads. So much so, that I invite you to take the quiz and see for yourself: http://trumporjesus.com/
How did you score? Was it Trump or Jesus? Sadly, I could substitute other names for Trump, leaders that I have served under, maybe even my own name substituted at times. What about you as a leader? Does your authenticity and compassion shine through?
To be like Jesus, this hope possesses me
I’m now taking the test daily
JN
