The Leadership concept, really what is it? Part 4

Trapped within every follower is an undiscovered leader. Please read part 3 of this series to get the full context of this adventure. As fear came across the young lion, he tried to quiet down the great beast and make the same sound. However, the only sound he was able to muster up was the sound of a sheep. The great beast broke out with an even greater roar as to say, “Try it again.” After about seven or eight attempts at trying to mimic the great beast the young lion suddenly heard himself make the same sound as the beast. He also felt something in his body that he had never felt before. All of a sudden his mind, body, and spirit were being totally transformed.

In the river of life stood two beasts growling at and to each other. Then the Shepherd saw something he would never forget. The great beast stopped, turned his back on the young lion, and headed back for the forest. Then he paused for a moment and looked back at the young lion and growled as if to say, “Are you coming?” The day of decision had arrived for the young lion. He had to choose to live life as a sheep or as the self he had just discovered. He knew that to become his true self he would have to give up the secure, safe, predictable, and simple life of the farm and enter the frightening, wild, untamed, dangerous life of the jungle. It was a day to become true to himself and leave the false image of another life behind. It was an invitation to a “sheep” to become king of the jungle. Most importantly, it was an invitation for the body of a lion to possess the spirit of a lion.

After looking back and forth at the farm, then the jungle, the young lion followed the great beast into the forest to become who he always had been – a lion king. Doesn’t that story cause you to reflect upon your own self image, self concept, forks in the road we have to choose, and our own river of life? It does for me! We first need to discover the truth about ourselves; where we are from and what we are capable of. Until next time, remember to pursue the best and God Bless!

The Leadership concept, really what is it? III

Trapped with every follower is an undiscovered leader. That is truly my belief. An army of sheep lead by a lion will always defeat an army of lions led by a sheep. That quote is by Dr. Myles Munroe. I read a story about this African farmer who led his flock out to graze, and came across an apparently abandoned lion cub that was separated from its pride. So the farmer looked around cautiously so as to make sure the mother was not around to maul him. He took the young cub and raised him among his flock of sheep. Over the months the young cub grew into an energetic ball of shinny muscle. The young lion lived among the sheep, they accepted him and he became and acted just like them. After 15 months the young lion acted, sounded, responded, and behaved just like one of the sheep. The lion had become one of the sheep by association.

One day while the shepherd watched his flock as they drank at the river, across the river appeared a giant beast that the young lion had never seen before. In a panic the flock of sheep, including the young lion, ran back to the farm in fear. The beast made a sound that seemed to shake the forest. When its head rose above the tall grass, the farmer could see the beast had in its mouth one of his flock. Danger had returned to his part of the forest.

Days had passed without incident. Then one day while drinking at the river, the young lion, in fear, ran back to the farm once again. This time the sheep flock did not follow. The young lion slowly walked back to the river and saw that it was his own reflection that he was frightened of. While he tried to understand what he was seeing, suddenly, the beast appeared out of the jungle again. The flock dashed with breakneck speed toward the farmhouse, but before the young lion could move, the beast stepped in the water toward him and made that deafening sound that filled the forest. For a moment the young lion felt that his life was about to end. He realized that he saw not just one beast, but two----one in the water and one before him. The beast came within ten feet of the young lion, growling at him face to face with frightening power as to say “try it and come follow me.” This is a great story about leadership but a little long. I will finish next time. Until next time remember to pursue the best and God Bless!