03 April 2006

Real Leadership

That's a book title by Dean Williams, prof at Harvard. In the book he makes this observation:

As individuals and in groups, people tend to shy away from addressing tough, complex, painful problems that are caused, perpetuated or protected by their own values, habits, and priorities. Rather than look at the reality of the predicament they are in, they often distort what they see, put the problems outside of themselves, scapegoat others, and create distractions - all as a way of distancing themselves from responsibility for the real issue. (pp. 10,11)

Indeed, it's always easier to look out the window than in the mirror...

14 comments:

Chaz said...

It's like he's writing about me.

Anonymous said...

...or denominationalism.

Anonymous said...

Easier to look out the window then to look in the mirror?

Easier still just to run away when the going gets rough.

Anonymous said...

Most easy of all is to post anonymously when taking a swipe at others.

Wartburg said...

Pastor Weedon,
Greetings tonight. Yes, that's all of us "Samson's" with our hair cut off. The natural man can be ever so cruel and at the same time such a dizzy coward. I love these words by Philip Schaff:"He who would give others the conviction that he has a divine vocation for the church and for mankind, must himself be penetrated with the faith of an eternal, unalterable decree of God, and must cling to it in the darkest hours"...Only through the WORD and the HOLY GHOST can "this man" be turned into "that man"...
Salvatore
We are all cowards in ourselves
We are all LIONS "in Him"
Thank You JESUS for your GIFTS

Anonymous said...

maybe anonymous was just too embarrassed about their poor grammar to leave a name.
i love you, pastor!
and tell the family i love them, too!

William Weedon said...

Sal,

Cowards and Lions in close proximity makes me feel like I'm on the yellow brick road. : )

William Weedon said...

Hey, Anna! We love you too! You want to know something really odd, though? Vicar MADE me get a facsimile of the original KJV and it is full of interesting little goodies - and one of them is the total disregard for then and than. No joke - they are used interchangably. So the anon poster was just being King Jamesy in approach, not to mention providing a prime instance of what the original quote from the Harvard prof was getting at. Pax!

Chaz said...

It was given me by the Lord to share the joy I experienced in the 1611 KJV, and thus, you were given to share in the joy!

It wasn't in the way of the Law. It was in the way of the Gospel. :-P

BTW, I used Sirach 2:1-11 on my hospital call yesterday. Check it out!

William Weedon said...

You mean that telling someone they HAVE to do something isn't always LAW??? Now there's something to ponder indeed. "You just HAVE to have a bite of this! You'll love it!" I bit and I was hooked. I admit it.

Great choice on the passage, Chaz. Exactly the words of comfort that he needed to hear. Easy to remember: choice goods in Wisdom 2; choice goods in Ecclesiasticus 2. 2 Esdras 2:10-16 also!

Anonymous said...

oh that's just ridiculous. i refuse to accept it.
mostly because mrs. frey didn't, i choose her over king james. :Þ

Anonymous said...

NOW whose grammar is awful?! i omitted the word "and" in my last comment.
golly, i'm awesome.

Eric Phillips said...

Wow, Anna uses a thorn for her emoticon-sticking-a-tongue-out, instead of a p like the rest of us schmoes. I'm impressed.

Do tell, how do you get a thorn in this text editor?

Anonymous said...

i'm awesome, basically. ;)

i'm one of those losers that likes to play with the alt button. 0222, i believe.