667 Leadership
One needs strength to oppose
And should have the courage to question
If remains indifferent by thinking ‘what I am going to gain’
At the end it will become useless to anyone
All those who claim that they serve for a common cause
Never do it without having selfish motive.
Those who toil keeping only other’s interest
Is never respected by anyone
Unwilling to pay a price
There is no use in involving in public cause
If one launches without having inner courage, but depends only physical strength
He cannot sustain till the end.
Clarity in thought, clear goal
Firm faith, clear in communication
Ready to accept defeat
And taking others along with who are ready to come
Without having these qualifications if someone enters in public life
Then their life will become a mistake
And those who follow such person
Will end up giving their life as the cost for it
It is not easy to accept leadership
When one does not have Leadership quality
It is not equally easy to remain a follower
When one does not know how to discern a good leader (to follow)
Mathigiri, 16-6-2017, 2.00 pm.
As I was reading a commentary on Matthew by Tom Wright (Matthew for Everyone, ISPCK, Delhi, 2015) where the author has skillfully presented the way the Lord confronted His opponents at the same time handled His own disciples and common people, I saw the Leadership quality. No one can create such an imaginary character just for the sake of showing the Leadership qualities in a person. Particularly the way the events were recorded by the author(s) of the Gospel never intended to high light some qualities and character of the Lord. But when I read all the encounters that the Lord had with various groups and the way He handled them all, I saw a different kind of Leader in Him. So after writing the commentary on Matthew 21. 23-32, in conclusion Wright wrote:
But for the moment we should ponder not only Jesus’ extraordinary and unique action, but the ways in which a similar revolution may sometimes be necessary in today’s world. Which institutions in your country have become corrupt, so that they now serve the opposite purpose from that for which they were set up? Where do you see systems which were supposed to enable people to worship and pray, but which have now turned themselves in the opposite direction to the message of Jesus? What can you do about it?
I wrote, ‘Practically NOTHING, unless we are ready to face the consequence as the Lord faced’.
After writing this I closed the book and began to do other works. But the same thought continued to echo in my mind. Then I began to see all the Leadership qualities of the Lord in which finally He was ready to pay the cost for it. As I began to reflect one by one the way He demonstrated His Leadership qualities I wrote this song.
667 தலைமை
எதிர்த்துப் போராடத் தெம்புமே வேண்டும்
ஏனென்று கேட்டிடும் எண்ணம் வேண்டும்
எனக்கென்ன லாபம் எனஎண்ணி ஒதுங்கிட
இறுதியில் எவர்க்கும் பயனற்றுப் போகும்
பொதுநலம் எனப்பேசி வலம் வருவோரெல்லாம்
சுயநலம் இல்லாமல் உழைப்பதில்லை
பிறர்நலம் எண்ணி உழைத்திடுவோரை
சுயநலம் கொண்டோரும் மதிப்பதில்லை
விலை ஒன்று தந்திட விரும்பாதபோது
பொதுவாழ்வில் இறங்கியே பயனுமில்லை
மனதிலே துணிவின்றி உடல்பெலன் சார்ந்தால்
இறுதிவரையில் நிலைப்பதும் இல்லை
தெளிவான எண்ணம், திடமான நோக்கம்
மனதிலே உறுதி, பேச்சிலே தெளிவு
தோல்வியை ஏற்க மறுத்திடும் உள்ளம்
துணையாக வருவோரை அணைத்திடும் பணிவு
இவையேதும் இல்லாது பொதுவாழ்வில் நுழைய
பிழையாகிப் போகும் அவரது வாழ்வு
அவரைப் பின்பற்றி சென்றிடுவோரும்
விலையாகத் தருவதும் அவரவர் வாழ்வு
தலைமை ஏற்பது எளிதான தில்லை
தலைமைப் பண்பு இல்லாத போது
தொண்டனாய் இருப்பதும் எளிதான தில்லை
தலைவனை சரியாக அறியாத போது
மத்திகிரி, 16-6-2017, மதியம் 2.00