Path to Leadership

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Bunmi Oni. Path to Leadership

Imprint. All rights of distribution, also by film, radio, television, photomechanical reproduction, sound carrier, electronic media and reprint in extracts, are reserved by the publisher. The author is responsible for the content and correction © 2020 united p. c. publisher. ISBN Printed Edition: 978-3-7103-3711-6

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1. The Challenge of Leadership

2. Check the Envelope

3. Why Me?

4. The Threshing Floor

David was king in Israel, a man after God’s own heart. He enjoyed God’s favours and blessing, and authored some of the most profound praise songs in adoration of the Most High God. His early life was lived in near obscurity, until his encounter with Goliath, but for him that public victory was a follow on to many private victories, not the other way round. He had experienced such triumph in the privacy of the fields while the sheep grazed, and where there was neither cheers from the gallery nor adulation from spectators, friend or foe. His private victories prepared him for bigger assignments and when the promotion came that thrust him into the public arena, he had learned the right way to experience peace in the midst of difficulty. And he did experience real trouble from the moment he was anointed king to the day he was crowned and through much of his reign. His ascension to the throne was a path laced with perils, and he fought many a war. When confronted with really knotty situations, he had learned to consult with God as a routine. He always had the prophet close by and would frequently call for the ephod (the richly embroidered vestment worn by the high priest) to be brought, so he might receive direction from God (1 Samuel 23:9; 1Samuel 30:7).The ephod was the outer piece of garment that contained the Urim and the Thummim, important tools of prophets at the time. Private victory must always precede public victory. Paul said anyone desiring leadership role in church must be the husband of one wife, but also must rule over his own house well, raising children with a godly heritage. He then explained this factor. If you cannot rule your own house, you cannot lead God’s people. You must demonstrate private victory before you can step into the public arena. Paul also says he had learned to control his own body so that having preached to others, he himself would not be a castaway. Jesus taught the same lesson. We must learn submission to God if we want to lead other people. We cannot demand from others what we are not willing to give. Jacob had a lone experience all night with the angel of the Lord. He refused to let go of God until he had been blessed. God respected his tenacity and eventually changed his name. As Israel he became the inheritor of the promise, even though he had a reputation as cheat and usurper. For him, a private victory was gateway to public elevation. Jesus criticised the Pharisees for their pious and arrogant behaviour, especially in religious activity. He scolded them for their hypocrisy in seeking the applause of men for their piety and urged them to pray in the closet to God who hears in secret and would answer in public. The principle works just the same when we go through pain or face difficulty. Our travel through the pain threshold may be unknown to anyone else, but God rewards in the open. It is true that truly successful people have a story. At some point David’s heart was moved to conduct a census in the land (1 Samuel 24), for which God was annoyed with him. David was allowed to choose his punishment from three options, a difficult choice for a king who knew the implications of each option for his kingdom. Three years of famine, three months in captivity of the enemies of Israel, or three days of the sword of Jehovah inflicting a plague on the land. This was really like Hobson’s choice, a free choice in which there is, in reality, only one option. As a person may refuse to take that option, the choice is therefore between taking the option or not. The phrase is said to originate with Thomas Hobson (1544–1631), a livery stable owner in Cambridge, England. To rotate the use of his horses, he offered customers the choice of either taking the horse in the stall nearest the door or taking none at all - an apparently free choice when there is no real alternative. Hobson had an extensive stable of some forty horses, which gave the appearance to his customers of having their choice of mounts when in fact there was only one: Hobson required his customers to choose the horse in the stall closest to the door. This was to prevent the best horses always being chosen, which would cause those horses to become overused. Henry Ford was said to have sold the Ford Model T with the famous Hobson’s choice of “any colour so long as it is black.” In a sense, David faced a situation akin to Hobson’s choice — he either chose one of the three options presented or make no choice. Speaking about difficult choices, Homer’s poem “The Odyssey”18, believed to have been composed near the end of the 8th century BC, describes the ten-year journey of the Greek hero, Odysseus, back home after the ten-year Trojan War. He had to navigate a difficult patch with two grotesque monsters dwelling on either side of the Strait of Messina. Scylla is portrayed as having six heads sitting on necks that are twelve feet long. She inhabits a dark cave and regularly attacks and eats sailors passing too close to her lair. On the other side of the strait, Charybdis has an enormous gaping mouth, into which he draws vast quantities of water and then creates dangerous whirlpools by belching throughout the day. While passing through the strait, Odysseus has to decide which monster to confront; he opts to lose only a few sailors by passing Scylla, rather than face the whirlpool of Charybdis and risk the loss of his entire ship. Like Odysseus, David had to choose which challenge to accept. Could his fledging nation survive three years of famine along with the risk of defection and disaffection in the realm? Famine in a land exposes the kingdom to conquest, and could he afford to have his people taken away as slaves and he a prisoner of war? He could not even consider the option of surrendering to three months of torture in captivity of his enemies, who would inflict maximum damage on the psyche of the people in revenge for David’s all-conquering escapades. The third was no less uncertain on the question of how the nation would emerge, but one thing he could bank on was that this option would not expose his underbelly to his enemies. A plague was also not a sign of military weakness as three months captivity would portray, nor was it a sign of a defect in long-term economic planning or administration that could be inferred in a famine, which would also have stretched the nation’s emergency services to the fullest. Besides, how would the king and his cabinet handle the challenge of the cries of women and children as they came under the ravages of famine and the attendant malnourishment and death? In a world where conquest in war was everything, David would have felt extremely vulnerable in the circumstance. Grateful that he was offered the choice of his punishment, difficult as it was, he wisely opted for the punishment that would be directly administered by God, knowing he could rely on His mercy. His reasoning: it is better to fall into the hands of God than to be at the mercy of man. Just as he had hoped, God saw the impact of the plague on a nation that was brought to its knees and decided to halt it, but not before seventy thousand people had been killed. David had to make a difficult choice, and make it fast. None of the options was palatable, and all of them had unpleasant results on the nation and the people he led. There was no time to consult with an ephod or call a council meeting. He had to give a response immediately before he could call the priest to inquire from God. How would the people respond when they got to know that David had made a choice on their behalf on a matter that affected them and their children? The messenger had to obtain his response immediately, and David had to live with the consequences of whatever decision he made. 18 Homer (1996). The Odyssey. Translated by Robert Fagles. Introduction by Bernard Knox. USA: Penguin Books. We spend most of our waking moments making choices; and in some cases all the time we have to make a decision in merely nanoseconds. There are times we must make critical decisions that would determine the course of the future and our destiny. In other situations, the choice we make affects family members, colleagues at work, or the community. It is simply not sufficient to plead lack of enough time to evaluate the options — just the kind of situation David was in. At such moments, there is no time to phone a friend for counsel or to get the opinion of a mentor; we must lean only on the reservoir of the practiced walk with God, and our repertoire of experience in dealing with the unexpected. David was wise enough to opt for the option that would draw on his association with a trusted Person, with whom he could plead if necessary. This was an association that went back many years; a partnership that had enabled him handle a lion and a bear with his bare hands. He opted for the option that placed him at the mercy of One who would not consider his faults or see an opportunity to take revenge. The cool thing about his choice also is that if the consequences became unbearable for the people and there was to be a mutiny, he could look to the same God who had delivered him many times before. Such an approach was not strange to the Omnipotent. On the eve of the destruction of Sodom, Abraham entreated Him: “Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?”19. 19 Genesis 18:25 (NKJV) The other two options would have meant he was at the mercy of his sworn enemies who would revel at the opportunity of revenge. It would bring people who normally would not have dared confront him to become the determinants of his kingship and of the destiny of his people.This is instructive for us in our moments of distress. A carefully weighed choice will make active His mercy when we determine to hang it on Him. Many a leader is faced with difficult decisions, and the choices under those conditions are often the test of true leadership. There are broadly two different philosophical approaches to ethical decision-making. First, the utilitarian approach which considers doing the greatest good for the greatest number of people. You add the costs and benefits of each choice and take the option that yields the best balance for all involved. Second is the deontological approach which judges morality of an action based on adherence to rules or duties. Right or wrong is determined by considering people’s rights and duties to society. Either way, the ideal choice may not be obvious, but leadership thrives in such ambiguity. Great leaders emerge in times of uncertainty. Added to this are the motivational and emotional influences that come to play in decision-making. There are three categories of motivational and emotional influences, namely the want-should conflict, the self-serving ways in which people interpret fairness, and how emotional states influence our judgment. We all face internal conflicts between what we want to do and what we know we should do. So we know we should eat right and exercise to stay healthy, but our craving for fast food seems to get out of control. Alcoholics want to drink but they know they should not; students want to party but they know they should study; and consumers must decide whether to buy for health, environment, or budget reasons. In many cases, this conflict is parallel to the tension between the desire for immediate or short-term reward and the advantages of deferred gratification which is often not comparable in scale and benefit. In self-serving reasoning, the sense of fairness is biased by self-interest. One way to test this is to answer two related questions: first, if someone sues you and you win, should he pay your legal costs? And second, if you sue someone and lose, should you pay his costs? The self-serving motivation is not difficult to decipher. Our emotional state influences our judgment in a number of ways. For example, fear makes us risk averse, sadness motivates us to change, and disgust motivates us to sell. The emotions of anger and happiness produce similar effects in that they both increase our confidence and sense of power while they decrease our risk sensitivity. Leading people requires a considerable degree of self-awareness on the part of the leader, since he or she must understand the factors that influence judgment. Furthermore, people tend to exhibit counterfactual behaviour and this could result in unusual responses or even judgment. For example, bronze medalists are sometimes far more excited than silver medalists. The silver medalist exhibits a subdued emotion because he can’t help thinking he almost won the gold, while the bronze medalist is over the moon because he won a medal at all. To lead people is sometimes to live dangerously, and you sometimes wonder why anyone would take on such adventure. John Updike, American novelist, poet, critic and short story writer, said, “A leader is one who, out of madness or goodness, volunteers to take upon himself the woe of the people. There are few men so foolish, hence the erratic quality of leadership in the world.”20 The leader carries the full burden of the followers and must pay close attention to the individual needs within the group. The challenge of leadership lies in the multiplicity and diversity of those needs, and the changing nature of what is required to motivate them, and to fire their imagination to the achievement of the goals and vision of the leader. Claude Taylor observed that a leader needs a clear vision of the organisation and where it is going, but a vision is of little value unless it is shared in a way that generates enthusiasm and commitment. Leadership and communication are inseparable. Some people have suggested that leading others is a lonely venture; hence the phrase is “it is lonely at the top.” Obviously, effective leadership is partnering with the team and maintaining clear lines of communication with those who may be affected by the actions of the leader or by the circumstances of the enterprise, and building bonds that tie the team to a unified cause. This inclusive approach helps reduce the loneliness at the top. In the interest of efficiency, the leader will also need disciples who will consistently reinforce the message through their own actions, beyond the rhetoric. However, in the situation that David faced, how was he to take the people along when the punishment came? The communication task in leadership is a herculean one. Good news is of course pleasant to communicate, but bad news? People hail the leader when everything is going as it should — the enterprise is growing, reward systems are superior to industry average — but the same people will readily abandon the leader only because they have heard of greener pastures elsewhere. When things go wrong, the accepted wisdom that the followers stay with the leader doesn’t always hold; in fact, human nature being what it is, outside of the regimented life of the military, it tends to fall down more often than it holds. The sense of community becomes fragile and brittle, and snaps at the slightest draught of the wind of adversity. Individuals look out for themselves. When judgments go wrong, the leader often finds he’s alone. Alliances regroup and allegiance shifts. The commonality in interest only reflects the extent to which each individual perceives his or her future is secured. The precise way in which a given situation plays out will vary, of course. In the work environment, allegiances are as fickle as a twig and will snap at the appearance of the mildest storm. In voluntary associations or assemblies, such behaviour is generally more subtle, though no less vicious. Whatever the exact circumstances, in human organisations, the leader must bear the consequences alone when judgments go awry. It is the extraordinarily mature member of a team who stands by the leader whatever the circumstances. At such moments, the leader must fall back on wisdom beyond what convention dictates, but even then must understand that when the tire hits the road, as they say, there are no breakers to shield from the harsh storm that is the leader’s alone to weather. A man’s leadership quality is put to the strictest test in times of adversity. In my own experience, this reality often came home each time we had a major decision to take. When I shut the door behind me in the office, it was clear that I was on my own — with God. On a few occasions, the same team with whom the deliberations had been held would either leak the information to those adversely affected by the decision, or device other means of extricating themselves as much as was possible from the conclusions. When push comes to shove, many people will care only about themselves. They conveniently walk away to the shadows, and will openly dissociate themselves if it helps to preserve their own interests. 20 John Updike. “They Thought They Were Better” in TIME magazine (21 July 1980) A man’s leadership quality is put to the strictest test in times of adversity. Happily this was also not the norm among the team we had, and that made for strength and credibility. You may have brilliant ideas, you may be able to invent unbeatable strategies; but if the group that you lead, and that you depend on to execute your plans, is unresponsive and uncreative, and if its members always put their personal agendas first, your ideas will mean nothing. I have always been fascinated by the philosophy of ancient military warfare, and often used the learning from sages like Sun Tzu and generals like Napoleon. The leader must learn the lesson of war: it’s the structure of the army — the chain of command and the relationship of the parts to the whole — that will give your strategies force. The primary goal in war is to build speed and mobility into every structure of the army. That means having a single authority on top, avoiding the hesitancy and confusion of divided leadership. It means giving soldiers a sense of the overall goal to be accomplished and the latitude to take action to meet that goal. Instead of reacting like automatons, they are able to respond to events on the field. Finally, it means motivating soldiers, creating an overall esprit de corps that gives them irresistible momentum. With forces organised in this manner, a general can adapt to circumstances faster than the enemy can, gaining a decided advantage. This military model is adaptable to any group. It has a simple requirement: before formulating a strategy or taking action, understand the structure of your group, but avoid the snares of groupthink. The problem in leading any group is that people inevitably have their own agendas. If you are too authoritarian, they will resent you and rebel in silent ways. If you are too easygoing, they will revert to their natural selfishness and you will lose control. You have to create a chain of command in which people do not feel constrained by your influence yet follow your lead. Put the right people in place — people who will enact the spirit of your ideas without being automatons. I call them disciples. People who so understand your philosophy that they will handle every situation effectively to deliver the intended goals. Create a sense of participation, but do not fall into groupthink. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) said, “Madness is the exception in individuals but the rule in groups.” Many years ago when I sought to define my leadership philosophy, the mantra I adopted was, “follow me, I am right behind you.” You want people to follow your lead without looking to be spoon-fed. In his classic work titled The 33 Strategies of War21 Robert Greene lays out extensive lessons in leadership from warfare. He says, “No good can ever come out of divided leadership. If you are ever offered a position in which you will have to share command, turn it down, for the enterprise will fail and you will be held responsible. Better to take a lower position and let the other person have the job.” Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) said, “Better is one bad general than two good ones.” Authority needs to derive from one person, for only then can you build speed and adaptability into your operations. Speed and adaptability is the ability to move and make decisions faster than the enemy or competition, and this is not a common competence in large multinational organisations where decision-making always suffers from the analysis of the accountants and analysts, the dreaded disease called analysis paralysis. The techies will seek a million reasons why a proposal cannot proceed, rather than try to figure out how the constraints to a good initiative can be overcome so the benefit can be realised. Speed and adaptability are hard to achieve today even with clever tools, and we are turning to Artificial Intelligence. We have more information than ever before at our fingertips, making interpretation and decision-making more difficult. We have more people to manage, those people are more widely spread and diverse in cultural orientation, and we face more uncertainty. Leaders must learn from Napoleon, warfare’s greatest master. He said, “speed and adaptability come from flexible organisation.” In 1800, by defeating Austria in the Battle of Marengo, Napoleon gained control of Northern Italy and forced the Austrians to sign a treaty recognising French territorial gains there and in Belgium. For the next five years, an uneasy peace held sway — but Napoleon crowned himself emperor of France, and many in Europe began to suspect that this Corsican upstart had limitless ambitions. Karl Mack, the Austrian quartermaster general and an older and influential member of the Austrian military advocated a preemptive strike against France. He told his colleagues, “In war, the object is to beat the enemy, not merely to avoid being beaten.” 21 Robert Greene, 2007. The 33 Strategies of War. Viking Penguin, New York, USA. Mack and like-minded officers slowly gained influence, and in April 1805, Austria, England, and Russia signed a treaty of alliance to wage war on France and force her to return to her pre-Napoleonic borders. That summer they formulated their plan: 95,000 Austrian troops would attack the French in Northern Italy, redressing the humiliating defeat of 1800. Another 23,000 troops would secure the Tyrol, between Italy and Austria. Mack would then lead a force of 70,000 men west along the Danube into Bavaria, preventing this strategically located country from allying itself with France. Once encamped in Bavaria, Mack and his army would await the arrival a few weeks later of 75,000 troops from Russia; the two armies would link up, and this unstoppable force would march west into France. Meanwhile, the English would attack the French at sea. More troops would later be funnelled into each war zone, making for an army totalling 500,000 men overall — the largest military force ever assembled in Europe up to that point. Not even Napoleon, they thought, could withstand an army more than twice the size of his own, moving in on him from all sides. In the middle of September, Mack began his phase of the campaign by advancing along the Danube to Ulm, in the heart of Bavaria; having established his camp there, he felt hugely satisfied. Mack loathed disorder and uncertainty. He tried to think of everything in advance, to come up with a clear plan and make sure everyone stuck to it—“clockwork warfare” he called it. He thought his plan was perfect; nothing could go wrong. Napoleon was doomed. Now, generals who had had to face Napoleon knew that a key Napoleonic strategy was to make the enemy divide his forces, but now their trick was reversed: with trouble in Italy, Napoleon could not afford to send more than seventy thousand French troops across the Rhine into Germany and Bavaria. The moment he crossed the Rhine, the Austrians would know his intentions and would act to slow his march; his army would need at least two months to reach Ulm and the Danube. By then, the Austrians would already have linked up with the Russians and swept through the Alsace and France. The strategy was as close to foolproof as any that Mack had ever known. He savoured the role he would play in destroying Napoleon, for he hated the man and all he represented — undisciplined soldiers, the fomenting of revolution throughout Europe the constant threat to the status quo. For Mack, the Russians could not arrive in Ulm too soon. Near the end of September, however, Mack began to sense something wrong. To the west of Ulm lay the Black Forest, between his own position and the French border. Suddenly scouts were telling him that a French army was passing through the Forest in his direction. Mack was bewildered; it made the best sense for Napoleon to cross the Rhine into Germany farther to the north, where his passage east would be smoother and harder to stop. But now he was yet again doing the unexpected, funnelling an army through a narrow opening in the Black Forest and sending it straight at Mack. Even if this move were just a feint, Mack had to defend his position, so he sent part of his army west into the Black Forest to stem the French advance long enough for the Russians to come to his aid. A few days later Mack began to feel horribly confused. The French were proceeding through the Black Forest, and some of the cavalry had come quite far. At the same time, word reached Mack of a large French army somewhere to the north of his position. The reports were contradictory, and Mack could get no hard information, since the French cavalry that had come through the Black Forest blocked access to the north for reconnaissance. The Austrian general now faced what he feared most —uncertainty — and it was clouding his ability to think straight. Finally, he ordered all his troops back to Ulm, where he would concentrate his forces. He eventually understood that what he faced was a nightmare. A French army had crossed the Danube to the east of Ulm, blocking Mack’s way back to Austria, and cutting off the Russians. Another army lay to the south, blocking his route to Italy. How could seventy thousand French soldiers appear in so many places at once? And move so fast? Gripped by panic, Mack sent probes in every direction. On October 11, his men discovered a weak point; only a small French force barred the way north and east. There he could push through and escape the French encirclement. He began to prepare for the march. But two days later when he was on the point of ordering the retreat, his scouts reported that a large French force had appeared overnight, blocking the northeastern route as well. On October 20, finding out that the Russians had decided not to come to his rescue, Mack surrendered. Over sixty thousand Austrian soldiers were taken prisoner with hardly a shot fired. It was one of the most splendid bloodless victories in history. Speed and adaptability are major strengths for leadership effectiveness. Success in this means the leader will not always have all the information he needs to take the most considered decision, and yet he must take the decision. Sometimes a bad decision is better than no decision at all. We also learn from Mack’s ill-fated campaign that the one risk a leader dreads the most is to have his troops divided. And yet this happens frequently, especially as the team faces difficult moments. Such times will always prove to be a test of character for team members. Standing strong in the face of adversity is not a common attribute. In today’s workplace, everyone ducks at the slightest sniff of trouble, and the leader must not only anticipate such a moment but also must expect it and decide beforehand how he will handle such eventuality. There is little point being surprised, because as long as his team members are humans, it will happen. Moses was another leader who had extensive experience in the hazards of leading people, and the harsh realities at the top. He felt at firsthand the pain of having his own lieutenants desert him when their loyalty mattered the most — when things were difficult. Team members in leadership would sacrifice the leader “at the drop of a hat,” and Moses had to deal with this too. Moses faced tremendous challenges during the forty years he and his people spent in the wilderness trying to make their way to freedom in the land of their dreams. There were logistical problems: he had to keep the ill-prepared Israelites alive in the harshest of territories; where food, water, and shelter were always scarce. There were motivational issues: the former slaves were terrified and unable to care for themselves, and at every crisis they turned to their leader often not in a manner that portrayed they wanted to be a part of the solution, but always in complaint and finger-pointing. Quite often we see this in every day life. Followers distance themselves from the issues when a difficulty arises, and even senior members of the team don’t quite step up to the plate when push comes to shove. They resort to the line of least resistance at the appearance of the slightest obstacle. Sometimes it is hard for people you have looked up to as mentors to stay with you through difficult times, fearing to publicly identify with someone who appears to be going down. Aaron easily succumbed to the pressures of the people when they thought Moses had spent too much time in the mountain when he had gone to receive the Law. Aaron found himself superintending over the creation of the graven image and the developments that moved the people when they “rose up to play.” Back in the wilderness, Moses was alert to the strengths and limitations of his group and constantly searched for ways to motivate and inspire them. When there was a setback, he conferred with God, took a deep breath, and started again. Each crisis presented an opportunity to try a new approach and to refine his communication skills. Every leader comes face to face with this monster: how do you keep hundreds or thousands of people motivated consistently, even through periods of crises. Moses sought out and nourished the brightest students and, when necessary, eliminated those who endangered the group. Although he was often frustrated with the Israelites, he never quite gave up on them. He was determined to teach his people how to live as free, self-governed men and women under God’s law. The desire and drive to live as free, self-governed people does not come naturally to groups. First, it takes a very few individuals who possess the passion to lead the effort — which is why they are called visionaries — and quite often at great personal pains. Like the Israelites, groups often suggest by their behaviour that they prefer the more assured life as slaves or in some bondage or other. Stories of the struggle for independence in many countries demonstrate the frustration of the leaders in galvanising the energies of the people toward the goal — desirable as it looks to everyone. Visionary leaders see what the rest of the people have difficulty grasping, which could lead to a disconnect between the leader and the led, and yet until a people see and grasp the future-desired state, they cannot really work to achieve it. Architects must first visualise the finished work and imagine the edifice in use. They need to see, in their mind’s eye, the occupants as they move around the property, imagine how they will react in an emergency, and walk with them through the entrance hall as they receive guests. They need to step into a future that has not arrived; and observe the ventilation patterns, the positioning of the rising and setting sun, the evacuation of storm drain, the handling of solid waste arising from human activity, and the very minute details of every day living. This is what makes the life of the leader more complicated than it should be — how to bring the future into focus today and move people from understanding to commitment and then to engagement. They will not be engaged until they are committed, and they cannot be committed if they do not understand. Visions are an expression of a future state that is far superior to the present, and therefore by definition describe a state that seems beyond reach in the immediate. Visions that survive the inevitable crisis are often accomplished not with the same set of people who started. This raises yet another challenge for the leader, to determine at what point he makes the call on who will travel the distance and who will not; who is a part of the future and who isn’t. Moving toward the realisation of a dream inevitably requires change. There will be naysayers, there will be those who simply watch to see how long it will take for the vision to collapse even though they do nothing to make it happen; there will be those who are simply indifferent, and are just waiting to be transported to the finish line where they reap the benefit of the move. There will be those who want to contribute but do not just have the capacity to do so at the new quality level required. The new field is beyond their imagination. Then there will be change managers who are competent in identifying the elements of change and how to manage it. They can often envision the end state and help people along the way. And then there will be the few exceptional change makers who constantly get ahead of the pack to view the Promised Land and interpret the picture to their colleagues. In the case of Israel, those who arrived in the Promised Land were in the main a different generation from those who started out from Egypt. Moses himself cracked in one instance and that was at the height of a lonesome feeling. He received the vision from God, and apparently was the only one who knew what to do, or more accurately, who cared to find out what to do, when things turned out different from what they expected. As happens till this day, others simply wait for the leader to give the next set of instructions. Interestingly, the cry for participation and involvement is often limited to the times when all is going right. The people saw the acts of God and basked in one miracle after another. Their feeling of family lasted only to the next meal or the next few miles of the journey after a miraculous experience, and their horizon was only the distance between one success and the appearance of a challenge. All motivation vanished at the sight of new challenges. In the same way, when motivation is based on what the leader discretionally gives, it only lasts till the next obstacle. They enjoyed the tailwind that sometimes made their journey smoother or brought them the heavenly food. When the headwinds came it was hard to align behind their leader to find a solution. Few businesses today are immune to sudden changes. An employee who faces the threat of job loss due to restructuring will often react like the Hebrew slaves: you have brought us out into this wilderness to starve us to death! They will be vulnerable and frightened, looking to their leader for direction and confidence. Leading in the wilderness is an integral part of the baggage of every leader, and it’s not fun. The leader must not only know the turf, but recognise when the roundabout way is best — which gradually exposes the people to the changes and what implications they carry for behaviour change, rather than plunge them at the deep end. There will, of course, be times when the leader must face up to the reality that he does not have an idea of the next steps himself, and must be honest enough to admit it to his team. Time is often not on the side of leaders, and this is where the dilemma lies for leaders. Obviously, the leader has to have disciples who understand his vision and think like him (not as clones) in the extreme focus on the endgame. Leading with a team enables the leader to anticipate the future and use it to advantage. When Moses stood before the pharaoh and demanded, “Let my people go,” he knew exactly what he was up against. The confrontation between the two leaders would spark a monumental clash of world views. Every day in every facet of our lives, opportunities to lead call out to us. At work and at home, in our local communities and in the global village, the chance to make a difference beckons. Yet, often, we hesitate. For all its passion and promise, for all its excitement and rewards, leading is risky, dangerous work and this is perhaps why many shy away from becoming true leaders. People want the perks of the office, but not the sacrifice and the frustration that are part and parcel of the baggage. Why? Because real leadership — the kind that makes a difference by confronting conflict, challenging long-held beliefs, and demanding new ways of doing things — potentially causes pain. And when people feel threatened, they take aim at the person pushing for change. As a result, it is not uncommon for leaders to get hurt both personally and professionally. However, we also know that we were equipped to lead, and it is therefore possible to put ourselves on the line, respond effectively to the risks, and live to celebrate our efforts. While leadership can be perilous, it is an enterprise worthy of the costs. Our communities, organisations, and societies need people, from wherever they work and live, to take up the challenges within reach rather than complain about the lack of leadership from on high, hold off until they receive a call to action, or wait for their turn in the top job. This has always been so, but is even more so in our world of increasing uncertainty and vulnerability. Leadership is worth the risk because the goals and potential benefits extend far beyond material gain or personal aggrandisement. By making the lives of people around you better, leadership provides meaning in life and creates purpose. But sometimes, the leader can be consumed as was the experience of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin who, in the early 1990s had moved the Middle East peace negotiations toward an accommodation with the Palestinians. Rabin was slowly bringing the Israeli nation along on his mission, but he had also hurt the right wing in Israel, by his success in getting the community to wrestle with the difficult and painful trade-offs between long-term peace and territory. When the opposition could not get their way, they made Rabin the issue rather than what he stood for. The result was Rabin’s assassination, a tragedy as well as a setback for his agenda. His successor, Benjamin Netanyahu, stepped down the tempo of the negotiations, unwilling to confront what was for the people a hard choice in the peace process. Asking an entire community to change its ways, as Rabin sacrificed himself in attempting to do, can be dangerous. By making the lives of people around you better, leadership provides meaning in life and creates purpose. If leadership were about giving people good news, the job would be easy. Maybe here we understand that people do not resist change per se, they resist loss — whether real or perceived. Even where the current situation is unsatisfactory, the fear of loss looms so large that it obscures the obvious need for change. The leader’s job is thus compounded by the challenge of getting people to accept that the intended new situation is better, and therefore to let go of what they have, in exchange for the new. And the fact is that there is no new situation that is risk-free. Having the sea part to allow over two million people walk on dry ground was as unique as it was spectacular. Equally miraculous was watching the same sea close up as the Egyptian army, infantry, and mounted troops attempted to march through just as they had, in spite of the technological advances of the Egyptians. Even more awesome is that fact that the sea parted long enough to allow that number which included children and the elderly, as well as the infirm cross on foot, while the horse-driven chariots of Egypt were unable to catch up because God had held back their wheels. Crossing the Red Sea on dry ground was an experience no one had ever had before then, and it was no surprise that some of the leaders led the nation in the singing and thanksgiving in praise of the God who had performed mighty wonders and could do all things — perhaps the largest ensemble of all time. The whole nation went hysterical and the mood was ecstatic. Diverse skills came on display — music composition, singing, dancing — in the celebration led by Miriam the prophetess. The celebration was the easy part. Before the sea parted Moses was in serious peril, and he would have looked at the jubilating crowd wondering what could have happened if the sea did not part when it did, or for that matter if the pharaoh and his army made it across the seabed. Of course, God would have chosen another means of deliverance that’s even more dramatic. Three days’ journey later, the nation came to Marah where the thirsty people came to a pool of water that was bitter. Marah held so much promise, but was full of disappointment when they found the water was bitter. Water, water everywhere, but none to drink! Suddenly all the singers went mute and the sound of singing went down as quickly and spontaneously as it had risen. Miriam the prophetess dropped the tambourine, and the stringed instruments went quiet. The only voices heard were those of complaint against Moses. “What kind of leader is he?” they murmured. “Didn’t he know he should have mapped out the route bearing in mind the needs of the people and the option of the northeastern route as well? Shouldn’t he have factored in the supply of basic things like water? Planning is defective here, and if only we had been consulted we would have advised the leader that this route led to nowhere, or at least we would have developed alternatives in the event of the unexpected. We always knew Moses was such an arrogant person he would not listen to anyone else. Even when we offer to help, he simply trusted only his own instincts and in the alleged directions from God, which, by the way, none of us can prove. It’s his word and none of us is any wiser.” It is instructive that in all the complaining, no one came forward to offer a solution. The engineers and scientists did not think about how the water could be purified and there were certainly no offers to dig a well. No one thought about what methods of conservation could be available if they were to come to another bitter water or pass through vast arid land later in the journey. Indeed leaders are tenants of time and context — and they need to decipher both. David learned to call for the ephod when things turned knotty. Every leader needs an anchor when the going gets tough — those moments when people are in disarray and everybody else looks to the leader for direction and inspiration. David knew he could not trust in his experience alone. That was not nearly enough. Moses before him had learned to look up and receive inspiration. At Marah, he did just that, and the answer came. Marah was a watershed, for that was the first opportunity since leaving Egypt for the nation to be reminded about where they had come from. The Marah experience provided the opportunity to awaken or jolt the nation from the euphoria of the Red Sea and for reality check. Was the singing really in praise of Almighty God or for relief from the terror of the Egyptian army? Was the celebration in recognition of the Omnipotent Man of War or was it from a feeling of vengeance that they were now liberated from their taskmasters? It turned out Marah was a test, precisely of the real reason for the celebration in the camp. But Marah was also a great opportunity to experience a different kind of miracle. God told Moses to cut a branch from a tree that was always there and dip it in the water to cure the bitterness that had prevented it from fulfilling its purpose. The waters of Marah held so much undeliverable promise until cured of the source of its defect. Moses still had his famous staff which he stretched over the Red Sea to part it at God’s command, but the staff was not required at this time. This was time to present a foreshadow of what would happen many centuries later. The tree was a type of the cross that would be the cure for the bitterness of sin that would have prevented us from fulfilling our purpose to exercise dominion on behalf of the Creator on this planet. That defect had to be cured permanently. It was unlikely that the waters of Marah went bitter again after the nation of Israel moved on. So Marah was a good experience (as much as a test) as it presented the opportunity of witnessing the miracle of the cure. By contrast, they soon came to Elim where there were wells and greenery. Everything was as it should be, but there was hardly any need for faith or to receive a miracle. This is the way it is for us. We need the Marah experience as well as the Elim. Marah promotes growth and out of the ashes of the pain comes miracles and a whole new you. We appreciate that we are complete only as we depend on God and can recognise the progress in our character development. Elim gives us a respite and the opportunity to “smell the roses” and worship the Maker of all things visible and invisible. It’s like climbing a flight of stairs. The climbing process from one rung to the next could be energy sapping, but the landing midway is a breather. The process of going up in altitude only really happens in the climbing. Sometimes the rungs come in a long stretch before a respite. Such climb is for the real men. Our whole duty is to make our bodies physically fit for the long climb that may come, but we usually get tested first on short rungs. It is interesting that soon after they left Elim, they came to another test. The supply of food was short, and, once again, they complained against Moses and his strategy. It was all too dictatorial. Moses, they would have felt, had lost it now. How could he expect them to survive in the wilderness without food? Again, they reminisced on their time in Egypt. They were slaves all right but they had some food to eat, even if it was poor quality. It is still true today that while a challenge subsists, people don’t come up with views or offer solutions. When the leader makes a call, then he is seen as autocratic. “Oh, he could have arrived at the same end in a democratic way,” and meanwhile no one made a comment when they should have. The test after Elim was to teach a different lesson. The tests they faced were around the basic things of life — food and water — so the ultimate lesson was that if God could do the big thing of selectively opening and closing the waters of the Red Sea, He was able to meet their every day needs. In response to the complaints this time, God raised the bar and said He would provide bread from heaven on a daily basis. They were to gather just enough for each day, except the day before Sabbath when they were allowed to gather food for two days. Even in this, some people tried to gather food for more than one day — just in case God was not there tomorrow! To their embarrassment, the food decayed when kept overnight. They were to stay indoors on the Sabbath, but some still went out — and found there was no manna. For forty years they received daily rations in a never-failing supply. For forty years, they did not have to worry about logging food and cooking utensils around on their journey, and for that period they were served fresh organic-quality food every day. In spite of this, they often relapsed and went back into moaning and complaining, and eventually God decided to raise another generation — the Joshua generation — who had been unspoiled by the unbelief of the previous generation through the wilderness, and who would inherit the Promised Land. A new generation who would have to be tested all over to prepare them for the new future. The testing of the new generation would of course be different. In the Promised Land, they would eat the fruit of the land and not just daily rations of manna and water. They were going from the experience of just enough to a new future of abundance. But they needed to be tested in warfare, and for that reason the inhabitants of Canaan were not all driven away at once, so the Joshua generation could learn the art of war, and to depend on God to fight for them. The fundamental lesson was however the same —obedience and an implicit trust in God. For us reading this story, it is perhaps easier to observe that they should have learned the lesson at Marah, that the God who made bitter water sweet was able to supply food in some way beyond their imagination. The reality of life, however, is that we behave exactly the same way. Yes, God was mighty in the troubles of the past, but the current pain is of a different kind. How could God resolve this as well? That is slave mentality, and sometimes hinders our progress. God has a habit of bringing us back to the same place for as long as we fail to learn the lesson that each experience was meant to deliver. Abraham twice lied that Sarah was his sister (well, that’s being economical with the whole truth) to avoid being taken away from him, because he failed the test the first time. It was important for the Israelites to be stripped of those things that could be their comfort, including daily provision, in order for God to demonstrate He was truly able to supply their every need. There are many things we take for granted today, including the food we eat, but we must come to the point where we truly understand that our daily provision is from Him. In the short phrase “Give us this day our daily bread” embedded in the Lord’s prayer, Jesus was delivering a lesson in contentment, not having to dread the unknown future. Transforming the people of Israel from a nation of slaves to landlords and a people with a national identity was becoming a huge task. They needed the tests to prepare them for the occupation, but they kept looking back to the slavery years. I think it bears repetition that tests are meant to help us grow. James22 says we should “count it all joy” when we are tested. The Amplified Version translates James 2:2–5 as follows: “Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in, or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be (people) perfectly and fully developed (with no defects), lacking in nothing.” Trial is not anything we can be spontaneously joyful about; and that is why James says to count it or consider it a deliberate and conscious act, by no means easy, hardly makes sense, but that is the instruction we have. 22 James 1:2 (NKJV) That Christians may suffer in this world is clear from the Scriptures, and the sooner we come to terms with it the better. Troubles and afflictions may be the lot of very good Christians, whatever they may think of themselves. Bad things happen to good people. Second, afflictions and troubles must be understood as tests, and they often prove what is in the heart — beyond our words — and trials are for improvement or step up. Gold is subjected to fiery furnace temperatures to purify it, and even when it is finished, we appreciate gold best against the backdrop of dark velvety surroundings. When we come through trials, we become purified, and our ongoing beauty is best appreciated in times of challenge, for then we have a chance to put to use those experiences of trial. Third, temptations may be of various forms and number: divers temptations, as the apostle James speaks. Our trials may be of many and different kinds, and therefore we need to be prepared for the variety and unexpected shocks that trials bring. Fourth, the trials of a good man are not the result of what he created or fashioned himself, or the results of sin. He falls into them and for this reason he is better able to bear them. Perhaps we could think of the graces and benefits of trials and affliction more closely and consider how much good it brings us if we approach them with the right attitude. The first is joy. “Count it all joy…” James 1:2. We are not tossing into despair and self-pity, or throw a pity party. This only makes things worse. We must endeavour to keep our spirits high. Philosophy or psychology may prescribe that men be calm and take control of their emotions, but we are enjoined to be joyful, knowing that such trials come from the loving heart of God, who desires the best for us, and actually wants to bring us to a better place. And really, He does not ask us to endure what He has not subjected Himself to, for Jesus shows us that by suffering in the way of righteousness we are serving a higher interest of the kingdom of God. This is not just a New Testament paradox, for even in Job’s time the same principle is explained in the words: “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects.” The second benefit of trials is that they help build up our faith. James 1:3 says, “Knowing this, that the trial of your faith…” and then James 1:6 continues, “Let him ask in faith.” There must be sound heart believing in these words in times of trial, as this faith consists of belief and trust in the power, word, and promise of God. Third is patience. “The trial of faith works patience.” One benefit opens up another and the more of these graces are exercised, the stronger we grow. We know from every day experience too that troubles teach us patience, if only for the fact that we sometimes come to the point where, in our perplexity, we understand that we really cannot do much about the current situation. Apostle Paul echoes this certainty when he wrote in Romans 5:3, “Tribulation produces patience.” The exercise of Christian patience means we must let it work, not that we are apathetic and fold our arms, or to indulge our passion as to be insensible of the afflictions, but to become victorious in and over them. Then we must not seek to hasten its completion such that we miss the lessons they are meant to deliver. That sounds strange, but if we must let it have its perfect work, then we must do nothing to weaken it, but let it have full scope even if one affliction comes on the heels of another. Patience allows us to pay careful attention to the lessons intended for our growth. When the work of patience is complete, then we are also complete, lacking nothing. The blessing is in our enduring trials and affliction, bearing them with such grace looking unto the author and finisher of our faith. The fourth grace we need in times of trial is that of prayer. Prayer for wisdom and ask in faith, for, “He gives to all men liberally and does not hold back,” and anyone who asks doubting is like the wave of the sea tossed to and fro and is a double-minded person. The Message translation of the text in the first chapter of James says to consider it a sheer gift when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. A gift is a source of joy. The Message puts verses 3 and 4 this way: “You know that under pressure your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colours. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” R. T. Kendall23 in his classic treatise, Pure Joy, presents a practical analysis of trial and identifies several important action points in dealing with it, the objective being to dignify the trial. He suggests eight critical responses that help us realise the benefit of trials: 23 R. T. Kendall, 2004. Pure Joy. Hodder and Stoughton UK. Welcome it. The first and perhaps the most critical response is also the hardest when we face trials. Embracing trial opens us up to a whole world of learning. But how do we get ourselves to embrace trial? No one goes seeking trial, and trial in this context is not a wilful transgression of God’s commandment or precepts. It is not the rejection we face as a result of our own unfriendly behaviour. It is trials that come because they have been permitted by God. All trials go through God’s filter, because He wants to ensure the dose is the right one for us. He writes the prescription and measures the dose at the right level to match our body weight and profile. Medication has to be right and the dose has to be right. The type of trial we are allowed to face is that which serves the purpose. It has to be the right level for our spiritual maturity. As medication has either prophylactic or therapeutic properties, so does trial. It either fortifies us to endure more severe hardship ahead or shows up those undesired vestiges of the past, which need to leave before God can accomplish His purpose in us. Don’t panic. By wise counsel you shall make your war; and in the multitude of wise men there is safety (Prov. 24:6). We get a deeper confidence from Isaiah 30:15: “For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: in sitting still and rest shall ye be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength” (Jewish Publication Society Bible translation). Panic is the outcome of fear; we can hardly think clearly when we panic or are fearful. See trial as a compliment to you from God. God commits to ensure we will not be tested beyond what we can bear. But even more foundational is that trials come only because God allows them. Beyond this is an even more profound truth, that God allows trials because He knows they will help us grow, and because He regards us worthy of His company through the trials. It is a compliment because bigger trial acknowledges that we have higher capacity and are being invited to higher grounds. Never forget God allowed it. This is sometimes difficult to assimilate but it is liberating. We cease to fret when we know deep down within us that God could only have allowed trial because He knows we will not be overwhelmed by it. He says when we pass through the water we will not drown, nor will we be scorched when we pass through the fire. Know there’s a purpose for it. God always has a purpose for everything, and trials are meant to refine us, teach us a lesson, teach us self-control, help us guard our tongue, and make us more like Jesus. But we get the insight on purpose of trial only if we are quiet within, rather than focus on justifying our actions. Don’t try to end it — God will do that — but also don’t do anything that will prolong it. God is never late, nor is He ever too early. This is hard of course. Don’t grumble. It is instructive that grumbling is listed alongside idolatry and sexual sin in 1 Corinthians 10 among sins that keep us from heaven. It takes no training to criticise, but it requires considerable self-control to endure hard times. Grumbling or murmuring is what brought God’s anger on Israel in the wilderness. Know that God wants you to pass the test far more than you do. The hardest thing in the period of trial is to wait for God’s deliverance. We hardly focus on ensuring we learn the lessons and pass the test; we just want to see the trial out of our lives so we can get on with it. The truth though is that if we fail to learn the lessons intended during a trial, God may “soften the blow” and suspend the trial, but we can be sure we will come back to the same point and face the same trial. We can be sure we will repeat the class. It’s better to go through in a single-pass. A double take is more painful. Sometimes adversity is accentuated by the fact that even those who are close to us seem to leave, consciously distancing themselves from “the fallen.” Such was the experience of Jesus in John 6. At the beginning of the chapter, five thousand people thronged around him wanting to make Him king after they had been fed from a seed of five barley loaves and two fish. But Jesus had not come to be made king by men. He was King of kings. By the end of the same chapter, John 6:66, they could not endure the teaching of Jesus and many disciples did not want to be associated with Him. They felt betrayed by the One who had performed many miracles among them. Only His closest disciples remained. Have there been times you felt God betrayed you? Prayers not answered the way you thought it should be or when you wanted it? A loved one pulled away from you, or you have to face divorce in spite of the effort you have made to keep your marriage? Or perhaps a rebellious child who makes you feel embarrassed? Now everyone would look on you as a failed parent. How will you face the congregation and teach them about raising their children? We sometimes forget that it is God who saves people, including our children, and not what we do or say. Our responsibility is to teach and bring them up in the way of the Lord and consistently pray for them all the days of our lives. What makes us feel that God would betray us? We pray and it feels like a stonewall. Just when we feel close to a breakthrough on an existing challenge, another one breaks open to complicate our lives. You are in good company. David once broke down in utter dismay and screamed in Psalm 35:17: “O Jehovah how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my only one from the lions.” The Message expresses the same verse the way you and I would say it today: “God how long are you going to stand there doing nothing? Save me from their brutalities; everything I’ve got is being thrown to the lions.” It is a legitimate expression of frustration and anxiety, but God is not unfaithful. He keeps covenants and His promises from one generation to another. The truth is sometimes God hides Himself because He wants to be sought. That is why Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened unto you.” There are times we need to seek God. Isaiah 45:15 says, “Truly You are a God who hides Yourself, O God of Israel, the Saviour,” The Message renders this verse as, “Clearly you are a God who works behind the scenes, God of Israel, Saviour God.” Even when God seems to hide His face, He works behind the scenes in our favour. We simply need to let it sink into our hearts that God is for us, much more than we can ever imagine. Yes, God is for you and always works in your interest, even if it is not obvious to you yet. Even the way this verse is thrown into Isaiah 45 is instructive. It does not seem to flow with the context, and nothing in the preceding verses warrant such a declaration. I suppose it is characteristic of the way God sometimes hides Himself. The opposite is when God makes His face to shine upon us as conveyed in the benediction of Moses to the children of Israel, dictated by God in Numbers 6:24–25. ‘God bless and keep you. Jehovah make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. Jehovah lift up His face to you and give you peace.’ (The Message: God look you full in the face and make you prosper.) We can all thrive in such conditions. Like Miriam, we would grab the tambourine and lead the worship session when the Red Sea has just been parted just for us to pass through, and we have seen our enemies drowned in the same waters. When promotion comes as expected, and we are, as it were, on the mountaintop. When the report card arrives or results are published and junior has come tops again. When we step out proudly as the father of the bride as we witness our daughter walk down the aisle looking gorgeous and is the centre of everyone’s attention. We hear guests whisper what a wonderful wedding ceremony, and proudly join the conversation knowing they will commend us for a good job of raising godly children. The words of Habakkuk convey the desired response when God’s face seems to be in Shrek’s far, far away land: Habakkuk 3:17–19: “Though the fig tree shall not blossom, and fruit is not on the vines; the labor of the olive fails, and the fields yield no food. The flock is cut off from the fold, and no herd is in the stalls; yet I will rejoice in Jehovah, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Jehovah the Lord is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and He will make me to walk on my high places.” Let’s pick up the story we started at the beginning of this chapter, when David conducted a census in the nation and God was unhappy with him. He was offered a choice of his punishment among three options, and wisely chose the punishment administered directly by God. He was sure he could count on the mercy of God, and he was right. God indeed halted the punishment when He saw the anguish in the land, and the heart of David. Given the choice, it’s always a smart move to “play safe” and bet on the mercy of the Almighty, for He is “plenteous in mercy.” We sometimes come to the point where we bet on expected opportunities or the commitment of members of our team to deliver a critical element of a project or plan. In a leadership role, we often bet on people to deliver on what they promise, especially where such contribution is technical or otherwise specialised in nature, and outside the competence of the leader. At such times, the leader feels most vulnerable, but in our most vulnerable moments, we position ourselves for a heavenly visitation if we choose to rely on divine grace. God showed up and gave instructions for David to go purchase Araunah’s threshing floor to build an altar. That would eventually become the site of the temple that Solomon built. How symbolic. The threshing floor is a place of hard treatment. Beating the grain heads to separate the grains from the stalk is only the first step, but an important one, to strip the chaff and release the grain on its journey to greater refinement. The harvested material comes with a whole lot of baggage — stalk, dirt, grime — much the same way we come to God with a baggage on receiving salvation. The separated grains then begin a whole treatment at the mill. The first coarse grinding takes away the husk to expose the bare grain, the real thing, and the chaff is winnowed off. This is the point we realise that the whole grains are nowhere near clean. The next set of rolls starts the milling process, first to break the grains into big chunks. The successive sets of rolls progressively reduce the particle size, until the final set of rolls brings out the fine powder. It’s the fine flour that is now useful for the baker, the confectioner, etc. In the same way, even though God does not delight in hurting us, He must remove the unwanted dirt, mill the clean grain first into grit and then into fine flour in order to make us fit for His use, versatile and a vessel unto honour. Now that is hard doctrine. You say why can’t God accomplish His purpose in a different way, one that does not have to involve such pain and suffering. If God is love, why can’t He simply and gently peel the husk off (say while I’m sleeping) so that by the time I awake it’s all done? Why doesn’t He apply the same anaesthesia He used for Adam when He took out one of his ribs to fashion Eve? Now the primary premise on which we come to God is that we believe He is. The writer of Hebrews says he that comes to God must first believe that He is, and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. If we get past this post, we must also accept that when He did all the creation work there was no one to advise Him or edit the work He had done. Then He chooses the way He conducts the affairs of the universe. He says He can kill and He can make alive. He also does not violate His own principles no matter what. When He decided that sin would be atoned for once and for all, He had to allow His Son to die. He could have avoided it but that would violate His own principle — the wages of sin is death, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. If God did not spare His own Son, then there is nothing He cannot give to us or do for us as long as it brings Him glory, just as the death and resurrection of Jesus was for His own glory. When God allows trials, it is to correct and to teach. Job 5:17 says, “Behold, blessed is the man whom God corrects. Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.” Proverbs 3:11 underscores the same theme. “My son, do not despise the chastening of Jehovah, nor be weary of His correction.” But perhaps it is the writer of Hebrews that brings it all down to earth “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father does not chasten? But if you are without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then you are bastards and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For truly they chastened us for a few days according to their own pleasure, but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Now chastening for the present does not seem to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are exercised by it.” Hebrews 12:7–11. The word translated chastening also means forced learning. Why do we need forced learning? Well, because we are sometimes sloppy in learning certain character attributes unless God has all of our attention. When we are on top of the mountain, that is an uphill task. Comfort has a way of occupying us. Years ago when I bought my first car, I had to make time every morning to clean it, even if that meant rushing through the morning devotion. I would reason that God understands and that I would make up the lost time in the evening or during the day. How foolish I was. Similarly, men reading this will understand that when a new gadget arrives in the house, getting the attention of dad while he is trying to figure out the functions of the new gizmo is a tall order. Comfort does not allow us to pay close attention in God’s class, so He applies a method that is bound to catch our attention — or some means that draws us to Him spontaneously. Hebrews 2:11 says, “Chastening for the present does not seem to be joyous but grievous.” Are you kidding? Willingly accepting pain is not something to jump at naturally, but that verse also concludes: “Nevertheless afterward, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are exercised by it.” So God applies chastening so that we can settle in class and can undergo the polishing only He can effect. That polishing makes us fit and proper vessels of honour. Jesus spoke about the many different types of vessels in a great house. Some vessels are for honourable uses, while some are not. Vessels are meant to hold stuff, either for storage or as a conduit. Some vessels are also for waste. The grit has its limited use, but is not nearly as versatile as the flour. We have limited use to the Master if we stop the refining process midway. However, the refining process can be gruelling. The end product is desirable and white, but going through the mill is no treatment to be taken lightly. God does not take it lightly either. The choice is always ours to make. We all pray the prayer Use Me Lord, but that prayer is also laying ourselves on the anvil patiently bearing the blows of the hammer. The anvil breaks many hammers by patiently bearing the blows without grumbling. We desire the anointing of prophets and successful men of God, but we need to appreciate the story behind the glory, as everyone has a story, and you don’t fall out of bed into the anointing. Let us take a closer look at the refining process on the threshing floor. First, we note that the colour of the grain gets brighter with each stage of the milling treatment. The grain goes from near brown to almost completely white in the finished product. The colour brightens because the finer particles are better able to reflect light. The end product — the fine flour — has the greatest capacity to reflect light, and is therefore the whitest. In the same way, we are better able to reflect the glorious light of God as we are broken until every trace of impurity has been removed. This capacity to reflect the light of God is crucial. This is the sense in Paul’s affirmation that we are changed from glory to glory as the husk and other impurities are removed layer by layer. The process unveils our faces so we can see the glory of the Lord as in a mirror. The radiance of His light shines off us as we are polished, but only the mill achieves this, and the goal is that we may become “whiter,” more and more like Jesus in character. In 2Corinthians 3:18, “But we all, with our face having been unveiled, having beheld the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are being changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord Spirit.” Does it have to be this tortuous to be able to reflect the glory of God? Well, the answer is yes. The moon does not have light of its own, and yet it rules the night simply by reflecting the full power of the sun. We were made to reflect the light of His glory. We are dealing with a God who is light. To do this we must lose our own identity and take on His, for in this do we have an identity. The moon takes on its own identity as governor of the night by being content with reflecting light from the sun. Each has its own glory. Paul in describing the resurrection (1Cor. 15:21) says there is the glory of the sun and there is the glory of the moon. Imagine if the moon were to compete with the sun for prominence. For it to function optimally, it must accept the dominance of the sun and present its own surface to take on the strong rays of light from the sun so it can provide what we fondly call moonlight. Large particles of wheat are too self aware to reflect light and must be broken down further until they lose the original identity and take on another. Our identity of the old self is unsuitable for the new life in dominion, and that is why we must be born again. We must have our nature and identity changed permanently to become fit for purpose. That is why Paul affirms that when one is in Christ he is a new creature, old things have passed away, and all things have become new. At the new birth, we take on a new nature, and are then primed for the polishing process over time. You will note also that the finer the flour the greater its ability to bond together. Engineers have to design flour silos bearing in mind that the angle of repose in a silo for flour is different from that of a silo for grains. Whole grains fall over themselves more easily than flour. The smaller the individual parts, the better the bonding. When individual members of the body of Christ focus attention away from themselves and consider others more highly than self, they are better able to keep the bond of peace in the unity of the Spirit. This is hard in today’s world where each individual wants to assert himself. You never know how much you can achieve if you do not care who gets the credit. Interestingly, this is the mantra in most team building exercises, but we have a way of reverting to default mode as soon as the retreat is over. Moreover, consider this: the finer the flour, the whiter it is, because the more it is able to reflect light. When we submit our individuality to God, and, as it were, lose ourselves in Him, we are better reflectors of His image. In another sense, we are made to function like the sun, which gives light and heat to support life on earth. The sun gives off light by being, not by striving. We understand that the energy of the sun is generated from its core through a continuous eruption within it. The core of the sun is so hot and there is so much pressure that nuclear fusion takes place. Hydrogen is changed to helium. Nuclear fusion creates heat and photons (light). The by-product of nuclear fusion in the sun’s core is a massive volume of energy that radiates outward toward the surface of the sun. The sun’s surface is about 5,720 degrees Celsius. In the same way, we are carriers of the Holy Spirit who continuously “erupts” within us producing so much “energy” that radiates to the surface giving off heavenly light. John 7:38 - “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” The Holy Spirit generates continuous volcanic eruption that overflows as rivers. Just as we receive the light from the sun either directly or through reflection from the moon, people should receive our light either directly or through other people impacted by us. The sun never goes down really; we experience darkness only because the part of the earth we are has turned away from the sun. We are also never off duty. When the special team-building retreat is over, we soon return to the jostle to get ahead, and in a matter of weeks, we need another retreat to deal with our affluenza which never seems to go away. The rat race is still on! But effective teams give vent to the views of the seemingly quiet colleagues, which allow everyone to exercise their talent and potential. That is the way to effectiveness. That has to be because that is the only way for salt to be effective in flavouring food, or for yeast to leaven the lump of dough. Salt is no longer a flavour if it’s prominent in its presence. Indeed, the moment it becomes noticeable, it begins to lose its value. The most effective people are not always the most visible. Many years ago, Otis the lift maker adopted the position that they would go unnoticed. The logic was that you notice a lift in the building when it breaks down. Otherwise you simply take it for granted to press the call button to enter the lift and another to get transported to the floor you want. To achieve this, Otis embarked on an extensive technology-driven program that saw the birth of self-diagnosing lifts that run without noise and with car interior with a look and feel that does not give the feeling of an enclosure. Lift cars had to be made a little bigger and completely quiet in operation. The self-diagnosing capability meant that the lift would automatically dial a mechanic at the slightest departure from pristine condition. The team of mechanics had full tool kits mounted on bikes (so they could better manoeuvre in traffic) and whenever a lift called, the nearest mechanic would race to the spot, effect the repairs, and no one would ever know there was anything going on. We are better able to reflect the light of His glory when we go unnoticed, because then God says He will dispatch an army of angels to fix any situation we face. With Him working in us and through us, people even think it has everything to do with us —how smart he is! But rather like the moon, we are simply reflecting the energy and power that comes from Him. The apostles had that experience. Such was the power that flowed through them that even their shadows falling on the sick made them well. People brought the sick and the infirm to line the way they would walk just to have the shadow from these men cast over the sick. Handkerchiefs from Paul were laid on the sick and they recovered. The anointing on Elisha was such that even after he was dead and buried, there was enough power to raise the dead. The family of a dead man was forced to abandon a funeral procession and simply dumped the body in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet. This is what it is to reflect the light, but it is the result of passing through the mill. Furthermore, the refining process also involves a separation. In extracting gold, miners scoop huge mounds of earth that contains the precious metal and tons of, well, rubbish. The initial handling involves a water bath to separate the easy bits. Then some cyanide (a deadly material to humans) is applied to the mixture to help the process of separating the wanted from the unwanted. Then comes the tough treatment. The extracted metal is subjected to the fiery furnace treatment at least twice in quick succession. By the time it comes out as pure gold, it does not miss any of the scum and dirt with which it was associated. The prize for enduring the fiery furnace is that it commands a stature like none of its previous buddies while in the ground. We must be willing to walk solo if necessary, in order to attain the stature of the measure of the fullness of Christ. Paul said he was willing to leave everything behind, for the prize of the upward call of God. We return again to David and the instruction to purchase Araunah’s threshing floor. Out of that threshing floor, the place of pulverisation and refinement, the place of considerable discomfort, rises first the altar, and then the temple. The altar is the place of offering and sacrifice, the temple is the dwelling place and the very presence of God. The altar often represents a memorial of an unforgettable experience. It was common practice to build an altar to mark an encounter, a new beginning, a redirection, or a defining moment or turning point. That is the first significance of the threshing floor. That is important. God always intervenes in human affairs to redeem or repossess. Out of the travail and the pain rises the triumph of overcoming. That is why it says the sound of rejoicing and salvation shall not depart from the abode of the righteous. The righteous will always have cause to experience victory and triumph. But victory only comes after a battle or a duel. We can understand why God decided that He would not drive all the inhabitants of Canaan away when Israel arrived in the Promised Land. The generation that arrived was not the generation that fought the battles or experienced the miraculous deliverance from enemies. It was a new generation whose only knowledge of war was the stories told to them by their fathers. God deliberately left some of the enemies in the land to teach the new arrivals the art of war “And these are the nations which Jehovah left, to prove Israel by them, as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan. Only that the generations of the sons of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least those who before knew nothing of it: Five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that lived in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-Hermon to the border of Hamath. And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the commands of Jehovah, which He commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.” Judges 3:1-4. Testing and proving is an essential part of the design of a structure. An engineer who designs a bridge has to test the structure to be sure it will withstand the stress of normal and abnormal traffic. You will not fly a new plane until you know it has been tested and is certified airworthy. Automakers subject cars to a series of tests, including crash tests, in order to validate the design and provide confidence to prospective buyers. Automakers proudly put their brand on the car they have built in the assurance that it will deliver the promise they make. Crash tests are conducted not because the cars are made to crash, but because the manufacturers know that there is such risk, however remote. In the same way, God established covenants because He knew there will always be situations that will test the faithfulness of either party. And He needs to guarantee the robustness of each willing person who allows Him to conduct the test on them. That is a factor of the fallen world. That is why God established a covenant with Abraham. In Genesis 15, God was also so certain that His promises would be delivered. He was willing to subject Himself to the execution of a covenant with a human. Covenants between two parties were sealed by splitting an animal and separating the two halves. Each covenanting party would walk between the two halves of the animal to seal the covenant. In this act, each party vouches to be treated as the animal if he or she broke the terms of the covenant. A covenant is much stronger than an oath. Abraham understood both, and the difference. He would later make his chief servant Eliezer swear to an oath to ensure that Isaac married a wife from among his people, and not from the foreign land in which he dwelt. As was the custom then, Eliezer executed the oath by placing his hand under Abraham’s thigh as he sat on a stool. If an oath meant a lifetime commitment to a cause, a covenant is something you give your life for. So when God came down one evening to execute a covenant with Abraham, he knew it was serious business. It was not something that was a passing event. He had to pay close attention. When the Creator God stepped down from majesty and passed between the halves of the animals — the elements of the covenant — He was conveying His commitment to fulfilling the terms of the covenant in a way that no man had experienced before nor has anyone experienced since then. Abraham’s situation required that he had an anchor to hold on to, and God provided one. What more could God have done? Abraham had to respond by trusting God all the way. What a privilege that the Almighty God came down to such a level, just to confirm He is on our side, and will do everything He has said He would do. We walk in the same covenant because we have been adopted as sons and daughters, and have inherited the blessing of Abraham. We read this and marvel at the unwavering faith of Abraham, but not so much about what little faith we who live under the New Covenant have, or the extent to which trustworthiness has become old-fashioned. How pathetic that it is harder to find a person who keeps his word all the time than it is to find polar bear in the tropics. In the transaction with Araunah, David demonstrates another important attribute. He said, “I will not offer burnt offerings to Jehovah my God of that which costs me nothing.” We hear a similar thing from him (2 Sam. 23:17) when he refused to drink water fetched for him by his men who had in the process of getting the water risked their lives by breaking through the ranks of the Philistine enemy territory. Three of his mighty men, tested generals, heard him express a wish for a “drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem by the gate.” He was in his bunker in the cave of Adullam while surrounded by the Philistine troops, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. This may sound to us today like a longing for home food, or a strong desire for grandmother’s delicacy, right in the middle of prosecuting a war. Trivial as it may have sounded, the three generals took the expressed wish of the king seriously, decided of their own volition to go for it — perhaps as a surprise for the mentor whom they had come to respect. At great risk to their lives, they broke through the ranks of the enemy to reach the well of Bethlehem by the gate and drew water for their leader. Obviously, they would have had to return through enemy camps again, and we know that the Philistine army was not a pushover as far as armies go. David determined the men had paid a price far too great to get the water, and he preferred to pour the water as an offering to God. He had developed a familiarity with God that enabled him to know the sensitive things that would endear him to God — those things that many of us today would simply overlook and pass on out of ignorance. And yet it’s an understanding of what delights the heart of God that triggers true worship. Nothing delights God more than worship that wells from a heart that knows Him and His ways. A heart that acknowledges His mercy endures forever. This was David’s strength and, no wonder, he enjoyed a special relationship with God. In our day-by-day experiences, we often run the risk of being casual in our approach, and possibly miss out on those keys that could otherwise have opened the windows of heaven. There are other times our attitude is one of trembling rather than reverential fear, and we see God as holding a stick in the sky ready to knock down heads at the slightest error. The point is God has spoken and is always speaking. We must listen to hear instruction and direction, but need to learn how to be quiet so we can hear and perceive. That’s the hard part. Too many times we want to figure out God, rather than allow Him to be in control knowing that He will turn situations and circumstances in our favour. The truth is there are many situations in life we will face that do not lend themselves to logical reason. We must simply believe He’s on our side, and He will fix things much better than we can ever imagine. Of course, we will need to develop strategies to tackle some challenges we face, and we sometimes need to work harder than before to overcome the immediate circumstances. The challenge is how do we know when we have gone too far in devising a way out? We know we have gone too far when we get confused and the problem or the possible solution consumes us. It’s time to turn things over. He says, “His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts than our thoughts.” “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” God uses problems, pain, and persecution to accomplish five things in us: First, to direct (Prov. 20:30, AMP). “Blows that wound cleanse away evil, and strokes (for correction) reach to the innermost parts.” Pain has a way of helping us to introspect, reach into the inner recesses of the heart, so we are better guided; thereby making us more truthful to ourselves. At such moments, we are more receptive to godly counsel, in spite of our vulnerability. In periods of pain, we are more reflective and certainly more perceptive. We are less preoccupied with the routine pressures of living, and are able to focus on the issues at hand. Second, God uses problems to inspect us (James 1:2–3). The testing of our faith in times of difficulty allows what is on the inside to come to the surface. God beams His searchlight into the depths of the soul to refine and purify. The overflow of emotions has a cleansing power and helps flush out what we may not even know was within us. When we are overwhelmed, we can observe our own behaviour. Sometimes we do not know we are capable of certain thoughts or tendencies until we are pressed on every side. Third, God uses problems and pain to correct us (Ps. 119:71–72). The Psalmist affirms that it is good he has been afflicted because then he has learned doctrine; and this is profitable for correction and instruction in righteousness that we may be complete, thoroughly equipped for good works. Fourth, God uses pain to protect us (Gen. 50:20). Joseph was the classic example of this. The adversity he experienced in a space of thirteen years ultimately preserved him and his generation. Sold into slavery at seventeen and rising to the second most influential person in Egypt — a world power at the time — at the tender age of thirty. It is instructive too that when his brothers came, Joseph spent no time recounting the injustice and his pain. He was immediately gripped with the fact that God had preserved a posterity even though the brothers meant evil. Fifth, God uses pain and suffering to perfect us (Rom. 5:3–4). Perfection is a process that sometimes takes twists and turns, and there can be no better imagery than that of a master potter working with clay. He kneads and squeezes, flattens and rolls, slaps and pinches the clay until the right quantity is registered for the forming process, which itself is an ordeal. The anvil turns at dizzying speeds while the potter scrapes and smoothes the surface until the shine and curvatures reflect the perfection in the potter’s mind. There are times too that we are spurn until we are dizzy; moulded and kneaded to achieve the right consistency of character, flattened to drain elements of pride, scraped, and then smoothened for the beauty in the mind of the Creator to come forth. God guides us in diverse ways, and sometimes He takes seemingly strange and unpredictable actions that baffle human intelligence, yet have a wise and benevolent purpose. There are times He leads us down a path, suddenly goes silent and appears to abandon us. In some cases, He even seems to reverse a purpose He had so clearly revealed previously so that it looks on the surface as though He has either abandoned the original intention or changed His mind. Then at His own appointed time, he brings the original purpose to pass in an unmistakable manner. If you find yourself pressing on with a clear leading from God and everything suddenly appears to go into reverse gear, don’t panic. It is not because you are not sufficiently fervent or desperate; you just need to lean on Him in absolute trust, knowing that He always knows what He is doing. It’s one of the ways God moves us towards maturity and bring to pass an eternal and not just a temporal purpose. When the storm beats on the boat of life, and you can’t seem to see where things are headed, it is time to throw down the anchor and wait. It is all the threshing floor experience that awaits everyone who truly desires to grow. The point is that, as Andraé Crouch sang, “If I never had a problem, I’d never know that God could solve them; and I’d never know what faith in His Word could do.” This is how He likes it; and the more acquainted we are with this principle, the more secure and confident we will be when the train of divine guidance leads us into a dark tunnel. Every effective leader grows out of the threshing floor experience. The place where he or she confronts the harsh realities of the world we live in — and comes face to face with human greed and selfishness. We humans are selfish by nature. Our first thoughts in any situation revolve around our own interests: How will this affect me? What’s in it for me? At the same time, by necessity we try to disguise our selfishness, making our motives look altruistic or disinterested. Our inveterate selfishness and our ability to disguise it are problems for you as a leader. You may think the people working for you are genuinely enthusiastic and concerned — that is what they say, that is what their actions suggest. Then slowly you see signs that this person or that is using his or her position in the group to advance purely personal interests. One day you wake up to find yourself leading an army of selfish, conniving individuals. That is when you start thinking about morale. Robert Greene in his book, The 33 Strategies of War suggests eight crucial steps, which are in turn culled from the writings and experiences of the masters of the art. Robert Greene’s eight responses are:

5. Sheep in Dominion

6. Quest for Meaning

7. Lemons for Lemonade

8. The Inner Circle

9. The Crowd Gets Smaller

Epilogue. A World Beyond

From the end of the earth will I cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the rock that is higher than I (yes a rock that is too high for me) —Ps 61:2 (AMP) The path to leadership is a refining process; a process of exchanging the soft skin and hard heart we came into the world with for a soft heart and tough skin.That process is often multifaceted and the higher we desire to climb, the tougher the terrain we must endure. There is no gain without pain. One peak merely reveals the next. Adversity is a constant feature along that path and does not determine who we are, it reveals who we are. It is a path that presents opportunities for growth like no situation does, and we are not alone on this road. A successful leader is one who can tell what rough terrain he or she has passed through and show the scars from the trip. Every leader will be tested in four key areas: First, control. Most of us like to be in control, but the successful leader knows that he cannot be in control all the time. The test puts him in situations where he not only needs to depend on others but also where he comes to understand that he must live in obedience to higher uncompromising principles. Those principles represent the true north and point to the eternal dawn of true freedom. This itself is a learning process in which the leader must understand that winning the prize of freedom only unveils a whole new world. In that world, freedom comes with a burden or responsibility, and freedom only means submitting to the control of Elohim, the Creator God. The second is the test of bitterness. Every great leader will get hurt by other people, and these may often be his own inner circle. Indeed, one only really gets hurt because you have expectations of others that they have not met or have come short of, and this is more likely than not to come from a close ally. As King David found out, “It is not my enemy who reproaches me; then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; then I could hide from him. But it was you, a man my equal, my companion and my acquaintance. We took counsel together, and walked to the house of God in the throng” (Psalm 55:12). It is safe to say that God hardly uses a person greatly until he has been deeply hurt. Like pebbles in a stream that get rounded with years of jostling against one another as the waters flow over them, the leader gets polished and loses the rough edges through enduring trials and conflict and pain. Third is the test of power. Fame, with attendant influence, is the currency of the world, and as one rises to positions of authority, the temptation to draw advantages for self or for close associates or relations multiplies. Besides, people around will often suggest to you that you can ‘do and undo’, that you have the power to make and unmake, and that it’s your time to exercise such power. Such suggestions will come from people who are seeking special favours. Such people are not friends. They are gone the very minute you leave the office. The wise leader understands that what he has is not power (because all power belongs to God), but responsibility, and he needs adequate authority to discharge the responsibility. The fourth test that every leader will have to undergo is the test of greed. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil and makes a man do what he knows is inappropriate. The writer of Proverbs, the book of ultimate wisdom, in 30:8 says, “Remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches - feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny You, and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God.” Adam and Eve did not lack anything they needed, and they had every reason to believe that life would go on as pleasantly as it had started - with every good thing that God had given them to enjoy. But they put it all at risk for the one thing the serpent said that God had withheld: the knowledge of good and evil. As with all humans even today, the fear that something was going to be withheld, or that they were going to lose a freedom, made them vulnerable to the deceit. The way to create a craving for something is to give the notion of an imminent loss of the freedom of access to that thing, even if it offers little real benefit, and then publicise the restriction. Indeed the way to love anything is to realise that it might be lost. This is a powerful lesson leaders learn in their quest for influence. When information is hoarded, people will seek it by all means, and then fill in the gaps in the details if they cannot get the full information. So when the serpent came with his offer, Eve was quick to indulge and Adam was quick to follow. They got what they wanted - knowledge - but lost what they had - innocence. With the loss of innocence came the need for hope - hope that their guilt and shame could be removed and goodness restored. That hope still engulfs the world’s people today, in spite of the generous offer that God has provided to turn that hope into experiential reality. Rejection is perhaps the deepest wound that the human spirit ever has to endure. Rejection resides in the emotion, in the heart, an attitude that makes it hard to relate among peers. Synonyms are feeling unwanted, excluded, worthless, not belonging, on the outside looking in and never knowing how to get on the inside. Shame and humiliation are associated emotions to rejection, in addition to the internal feeling of a crushed spirit. God has created the human being with an insatiable desire to be loved; and this is love that is expressed

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