Get on your horse.
Some months back now, our ACTS XXIX team was fortunate to make a trip to Gettysburg, Pa. If you’ve not been there, it is truly hallowed ground and the history of our nation is intimately tied to the events of July 1-3, 1863.
We were blessed to be led by a friend who seemingly knows everything about those historic days. Walking the battlefields, we recapped the key events of each day, and “eavesdropped” on the decisions that were made by the various leaders on both sides that led to victory and defeat.
Personally, two things stood out the most for me. The first was a statue of Brigadier General Warren atop Little Round Top. On July 2nd, Warren discovered this location, the highest ground on the whole battlefield, was unoccupied except for a small Signal Corps detachment. He further realized its strategic location would prove critical to the outcome of the battle. The reason the statue struck me was because it seemed such an amazingly powerful visual for what we often need – and lack – in times of crisis: perspective. High up above the fighting, Warren could see, well, pretty much everything. This perspective proved to be crucial for the Union victory and the preservation of the Nation.
“High up above the fighting, Warren could see, well, pretty much everything.”
Such perspective, in my experience, is often lacking for us, whether in the Church or our families. We often find ourselves in situations analogous to that of soldiers on the battlefield, where smoke fills the air, hindering our vision, and thus our decision making as well. When things get confusing, and the decisions to be made aren’t clear, I frequently ask the Lord in prayer to lift me up high above the fray, like Warren on Little Round Top, so that I can see what’s going on and, thus, make good decisions.
However, what made the strongest impression on me at Gettysburg were the various depictions of the generals. Of the more than forty statues on site, only eight of them are on horseback – and all of them are generals. Our friend made it a point to repeatedly emphasize this on our visit. The soldiers on the field of battle were all on foot. The generals, in contrast, rode on horses. In doing so, they were visible to their men. Seated up high they could rally the soldiers, inspire them and rouse them. That said, being on horseback also meant that they were visible to the enemy as well, and at risk. Such is the nature of being a leader.
This is such a powerful image of leadership, whether in the family, at work, or in the Church. To lead is to be out front, inspiring, motivating, and giving hope to others. It’s to be visible, recognized, and, yes, at risk. St. Paul last Sunday exhorted Timothy, his disciple, to “fan into flame” the gift he had received when Paul’s hands were laid on him. He further reminded him that God did not give him “a spirit of cowardice, but of power, and love and self-control” (cf. 2 Tim 1:6-7). Paul was calling Timothy on to be courageous, like those generals, and to be courageous is getting increasingly difficult in this “cancel culture.”
True leadership is rare. Perhaps that’s why when we encounter it we respond as we often do. Down through the ages the Lord has raised up heroic leaders. This is one of those times when we desperately need them. Let’s pray (and fast) fervently for those He has entrusted with leadership in the family, the country and the Church. And for those of us who lead, in whatever way we do, let’s pray for wisdom and courage to lead well.