Leadership Lessons for Advent
The Power of Reconciliation
The world lost a great leader this Advent with the death of Nelson Mandela. The two-week long tribute to his life pales to the length of hardships he endured.
The lessons to be learned from his experience can improve a world that is often led with more force by lesser men and women.
Nelson Mandela”s strength was found in his ability to reconcile—to see past the hurt (profound hurt). Exiled from the world he loved for a quarter of his life, he was at last freed in his senior years. He did not rest. He reformed his country and impacted the world.
His power was in his smile.
He embraced concepts Christians teach but often cannot practice. He forgave and left the memory of all reasons for forgiveness to others.
He did the work of reconciliation. He saw the strengths of his oppressors. He did not use his power to get rid of them (as had been done unto him). Instead, he embraced them. He did more than that. He empowered them.
Amazingly top positions in his staff went to some who had “followed orders” in imprisoning him—in keeping him from his family—in losing no opportunity to humiliate him.
The qualities foundational to Christianity work, but they need a good dusting off!
This Christmas will be the fifth Christmas the Lutherans of East Falls will be locked out of the church we served—most of us all our lives. This Christmas, Lutheran leaders of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod will join in singing hymns of love, peace and reconciliation.
Easy songs to sing. Hard songs to practice.