Praise
Worthy
“Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit; but in humility
consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not
only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Philippians
2:3-4
I
heard part of an interview with Derek Jeter on NBC this week. He is
retiring from the Yankee's Baseball team after two-plus decades of
being a reliable shortstop, and all-around great player. Not once
during the interview did he thump his own chest or say what an asset
he's been to the team. Instead, he said he was glad for the
opportunity to do the one thing he'd loved since childhood and to
contribute to his team's success. He seems like the kind man you'd
want as a leader, and indeed, has been the team's captain for 12
years. He has stayed out of the spotlight, kept his personal life
private, and does not seek the attention of the press—ever. He
struck me as someone who could be trusted, and how many people do we
know nowadays who inspire unconditional trust? Not a hero in the “Super
Man” sense, though he is that to the game, but solid, capable,
quiet, humble—all the things Paul instructed the church at Philippi
to be.
We,
as a culture, put too much pressure on our leaders to be “rock-star
glitzy,” and they too often attempt to oblige. The minute they do,
the second they step into the limelight and expect adoration and
praise from the crowd, they begin a slow descent--sometimes not so slow. Character and
trustworthiness are the first to go, and pretty soon they are
tarnished beyond recognition. We blame them—but we share the
responsibility for expecting more of them than the work of one mere
human being on behalf of us all. Only the exceptionally strong
withstand the lure of the bait and remain true to themselves through
the pressure cooker.
Humility
seems a lost virtue. Ambition and conceit have been relabeled
“confidence” and we are all the poorer for it. Derek Jeter is a
man in his own right. He is worthy of praise, but I doubt he would be
very comfortable receiving it.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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