Leadership and Their Mistakes

In my Leadership devotional (by John Maxwell), the topic was about "Encourage Others' Strengths." The reading was on 1 Samuel 17:33. I decided to read on the whole chapter of the Bible, and it provided me with more insights about the topic in Philippine politics and leadership which I have been thinking for more than a week now.
Actually, I just would like to point out some criticisms and what the Bible answers to how leadership should be viewed in this situation.

Just for a background, the chapter of 1 Samuel 17 narrates how David, the youngest son of Jesse, servant of King Saul of Israel, defeated Goliath, the mightiest of heroes of the Philistines, with a slingshot. Maxwell's reading states how Saul viewed David's youth and inexperience in human battle before fighting Goliath.

The voice of the people is the voice of God - vox Populi, vox Dei

Christians, Catholic or otherwise, should know these verses:
But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do." (1 Samuel 8:6-9 NIV)

God does not need human vote for His wise decision.

How the Lord chooses the leader

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV)

Not by human standards nor popular vote does God anoint.

What would Jesus do on GMA's mistake (or even sin)

Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died more than that, who was raised to life is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:34 NIV)

Jesus saves and forgives. Of course, take note:

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (Romans 6:1-3 NIV)

What a leader would do in a moment of challenge to his or her flock

But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. (1 Samuel 17:34-35 NIV)

The leader protects the flock from mischievous agents. He cannot let other people carry the flock easily. It would be irresponsibility.

Does God condemn the sinner? Is there a need for "integrity? for the leader?"

(After the long chapter of David's SIN - not JUST A mistake)

Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him; and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. (2 Samuel 12:24-25 NIV)

Leaders are humans who could commit mistakes. But mistake or sin does not define the man. David, the "man after God's own heart," has committed a mistake, and was punished, but God did not take his name away from the Book of Life, nor was leadership taken away from him. Images are human, God looks at the heart. Also, applicable among the candidates,

All have turned aside,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one. (Psalms 14:3 NIV)

Should only one be condemned? Whoever that points a finger to an enemy, at least three are pointing back at them.

Little Things

It is very difficult to appreciate the little things, but like ANYTHING, you get to miss their big value when they are no longer there.

I try not to devalue people. Whether they are really close or not, someone I have gone through hardships or pleasant experiences, trainee or teacher, co-worker or superior, intimate friend or casual acquaintance, I do not devalue. I know they are important. I know they are people. And for me, there are only two things that make my reality: words and people.

Yesterday noon, I accompanied my best friend Anne on her way to a job interview. It was challenging for her. It was also challenging for me, not knowing what to advise her. It's just that I don't know what else she needs, because for me, she has everything an employer or HR person would want - professionalism, competence, and highly valuable interpersonal skills - if they get to know her.

And that's it. It was on letting them know who she really was.

That small thing which I forgot.

I am a communication major person, but I forgot which she needed and which was supposedly in my area of expertise - getting the message across.
Anne did not have to impress the person. That interviewer would definitely be impressed just in knowing her background, her achievements, the trials she went through. But I forgot to tell her that in an interview, and with her case, it should not be difficult. She only needed to get the message across.

Little things.

Perhaps, telling her, "you only need to let yourself be known. No impressing the person needed. Yourself is more than enough to get you any job," could have made her feel different.

One thing learned.

* * *

After her interview, we were supposed to go home. I went with her to Cubao. When we got off the bus, it was raining heavily. She was wearing her job interview attire, I was wearing a casual but slacks thing - and LEATHER shoes. I hate to have my leather shoes wet. But what can I do?

We ran to the nearest building, and wet, waited for the rain to ease - which was after about 30 minutes. It was challenging, for me, personally. I wanted to have a pleasant day with her. Rain is not in my plans.

But God had other plans. It was perfect. In that rain, God gave us a perfect setup to talk. Awesome.

We ate at Goldilocks. We talked. We talked for more than an hour - more than 90 minutes. It was very interesting. Personal, but intellectual. We learned more of each other. We laughed, we were surprised, we were not wearing masks. We appreciated each other. It's not just missing each other for me, because I made it a policy not to let a person get out of my communication in a way that would make that person be missing to me. No. I wanted to let people know that I appreciate them. This time, however, I guess it was an opportunity for us to let us again express our appreciation of each other, and our friendship. Without sarcasm or jokes to those expressions of appreciation. It was awesome.

"The silver tint in the cloud..." of the rain. Heheh.

It was not just silver. It was diamond of a moment. But it works, I like silver better than gold.

It was almost hateful raining in the rain, but with Anne, it was like walking in the field with the gust of the afternoon wind.

I was even smiling. (Guess why)

* * *

Wow. four more days, and I'll be 24 years old.

Kira and Kenshin: A Comparative Analysis

I have watched Episode 34 of Gundam Seed Destiny, and I can't help but compare the beings of [Gundam] Freedom Pilot Kira Yamato and Hitokiri Batousai, Himura Kenshin. I mean, they basically have the same method, same objective, and same social power. But why is it that Kenshin Himura defeated Shishiyo, but Kira Yamato did not defeat a misguided "ace" (why do you call a person sinking non-mobile naval ships by a mobile suit an ace? It's analogous to a lion attacking an elephant or a giraffe, or a tyrannosaurus rex attacking a diplodocus!)?

That's what I hope to determine today.

Let's see their sitiuations first, then their similarities, then their differences, which resulted to a difference in the results of their campaign.

Himura Kenshin lived in a period of Japan that is on the rise to a major world power, but internal conflicts prevent it from happening. Many persons want either control of Japan to lead it into that destined goal, or take over Japan for their own selfish reasons. Shishiyo was one of those who belong to the first, idealistic group. A lot of people under Shishiyo, or other enemies of Kenshin were of the second, personal group, like Aoshi .

Kira Yamato's situation is basically the same. The future world - while people think of it now as a very peaceful existence - is torn between the coexistence of two biological human races, the Naturals and the genetically altered Coordinators; and the primacy of one of the two races. Again, two objectives exist among the influential groups. One is coexistence, the other is annihilation. There are a number of methods between the two objectives, but there are generally two courses of action - war and not-war. A number of groups with one of the two objectives (sometimes, people with the same objectives fight each other) employ one or both methods.

Kira and Kenshin both have the same line of objective - a non-violent method of resolving the conflicts in their situation. Kenshin, while fighting, uses a reverse-edged sword. Kira, while using the deadly Gundam Freedom, aims only for the weapons of the mobile suit (something which has actually been done previously in Gundam Wing). They do not want fighting or bloodshed in

Kenshin does not have any great objectives - objectives of saving the world or humanity from self-destruction, but he has a purpose in his own life - to live a simple life. Kira Yamato, on the other hand, perhaps because of a subtle feeling of superiority in being a Coordinator, feels that he has a need for doing something in the world to resolve the political/racial conflict. Kenshin is in the late 20s or early 30s, while Kira is not older than 18 years old.

(Considering that both anime are from the same culture, I cannot see the fascination of Japanese for young heroes. Himura Kenshin is a significant deviation to the stereotype of anime protagonist.)

Considering the above characteristics and age difference, would they result to the difference? Not really. I see some key differences on the two heroes' handling of their situations, however.

Kira did not have the maturity of Kenshin. Besides NOT living in an age of youth being thrown into wars without proper orientation on their perspective of human and political dynamics (an unlikely scenario, which makes the situation of the Gundam Seed Destiny unlikely, nor the character of Kira Yamato emerging in the real world), Kenshin lived the life of a youth with a twisted sense of right and wrong. He eventually realized this, and this realization happened in a plausible time frame - something like his whole adolescence or pre-adult period (Not like Kira's few battles and one friend dying in the process).

Kenshin lived and relished killing and murdering for his political beliefs before becoming the Himura of Sanosuke, Yoshi and Cori. Kira did not have that, so he could not argue one how the other person felt or feel in encounters.

That maturity allowed Kenshin not to be stopped in verbal arguments. He knows what to say, he knows how to respond, and while he may not know what the other side would say or what they have done (he is not god, you know), he commits to the proper course of action - not by sense of fate, but by prudent thinking, experience, and identification with the enemy or opponent (Kenshin, in addition, knows that not all opponents are enemies. Ayoshi is an opponent, but not an enemy, for example). He knows that while words may not be enough, they are significantly effective (shouting the style he is using is beside the point, though).

Kira is frequently shocked and stopped in verbal encounters - a sign of his emotion-based actions. He may have an above-Natural and above-Coordinator mental capability (i.e., intelligence), but his interpersonal and affective functions are weak and unstable. The theory of SEED (Suprior Evolutionary Element Destined-factor) makes it even more fate-based. Despite the word "destined" in SEED, it makes the person tied to a particular course of reaction, the very essence of difference between fate and destiny. Fate dictates what will happen to a person no matter what he does, while Destiny indicates the path a person would have to take, but the choices remain. What form would choices become, but responses or reactions?

Kira lived in an ideal world - that is, he perceived in an ideal point of view. Kenshin knew better. He knew the weaknesses of people, and he knew that some of the character weaknesses he fought were inside him. For that reason, it was easy for him to forgive. Kira did not have a concept of forgiving of asking forgiveness.

The character and values instilled by proper teaching (by sensei Seijuro Hiko), realistic life experiences and proper responses, gave Kenshin the proper and effective personality in acting on the situation of Shishiyo's menace. (Before Kenshin went to Shishiyo, he considered his needs and capabilities, his weaknesses and the concerns. This is something you cannot see in Kira in the Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny series.)

Kenshin knows his role in the general perspective. He knows his capabilities but does not have a thinking that his or his own group would save the world (or Japan) from destruction, but they know their role in fulfilling the proper objective of Japan. Kira and the Archangel did not have that attitude. Instead, they went to the battles and persisted on a non-violent means of resolving their conflict. Besides Athrun's point of giving confusion to the battlefield, Kira's action prohibited the prospective sympathizers with confusion on what they are aiming.

Perhaps, if Kira and the Archangel pronounced to the whole world their intention before going into battles, they would have been more effective. It would send the message in a consistent manner, and the involved parties - Naturals' and Coordinators' military - would treat them properly.

(An election message exclaimed by George Bush in his committment to Iraq and fighting terrorism, "consistency of the message.").

Kenshin, in fighting the first significant battle he fought (saving Utaro from the gang that was planning to use the kid's riches to conquer Japan for their own selfish scheme), he asked the police first to stop the battle between the two armies (the samurais and the police/army troops), then settled the issue of the day.

 

Kira and Kenshin lived in generally the same type of situations (one cannot use the argumentation that there are nuances in each situation that may have resulted to the difference in results to their campaign, because ALL situations are different. The key social, political and cultural characteristics, however, are THE SAME). They also have the same heart of achieving their objectives in peaceful, non-violent methods. The key differences which resulted to Kenshin winning his battle against Shishiyo and his elements, against Kira losing to Shinn Asuka in the battle of Indian Ocean, however, are the following:

• Experience - realistic, situation and person-based Kenshin allowed his character to develop. You know how he loses and wins, and what he learns from the battles. He learns the proper lessons, not vengeance or personal sense of justice.
• Mature attitude and outlook - Kenshin knows his objectives, specific and bound by certain factors. Kira does not consider the factors in fighting his battles.
• Objective assessment of capabilities - Kenshin knew he had a lot of things to catch up with Shishiyo's level of swordfighting. He prepared. Kira did not. He was a civilian that joined the Archangel. That's all.
• Character - you see the discipline in how he handles things - be it funny or serious. He knows the value of inter-personal relationship, the objective of a campaign, and the sacrifice that have to be made. There is focus to the objective without deviating from the values that you have to adopted. It persists in temptation of giving up, situation of testing both the capability and perception, and puts the human in utmost priority. In corporate jargon, there is ethics in the business at hand.

Note: The above article is written with the writer wearing a headset playing in medium volume the anime OSTs of Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X), Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny. Forgive if the thoughts are not as organized as they should be.

 

I could easily relate this to the Philippine government and public leadership, but let us not go to that. It is better this way.

Joke Time

BALANCE

 

Once upon a time in the kingdom of Heaven, God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael the Archangel found him, resting on the seventh day.

 

He inquired of God, "Where have you been?"

 

God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, "Look, Michael. Look what I've made."

 

Archangel Michael looked puzzled and said, "What is it?".

 

"It's a planet," replied God, "and I've put Life on it.

 

I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance."

 

"Balance?" inquired Michael, still confused.

 

God explained, pointing to different parts of earth.

 

"For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, but cold and harsh while southern Europe is going to be poor but sunny and pleasant. I have made some lands abundant in water and other lands parched deserts. This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered in ice."

 

The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a group of islands and said, "What are those?"

 

"Ah," said God. "That's the Philippines, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful beaches, rivers, mountains and forests. The people from the Philippines are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent and humorous and they are going to be found traveling the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking and high achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as carriers of peace and love."

 

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then proclaimed, "What about balance, God? You said there would be balance."

 

God replied wisely, "Wait until you see the idiots I put in the government."

Philippine Politics: My Role

This is a boring subject, so I will write about this first.

Philippine politics, and what I have to do with it.

In recent news and available information (also called "rumors"), many people question what the President should do. Should she resign, face the impeachment court, or directly act on the threat to her leadership and the governance (also called 'declare martial law,' which is not that easy to do). A lot of things are implied by each course of action. A lot of things are actually happening with the actions taken by the Opposition (calling themselves 'para sa masa'). Earlier, on my way to work, because of the stupidity of the mayor of the city I am working in (I do not reside in the same city.) or the owner of the land (This should give local readers an idea what this city I am talking about), instead of taking less than 50 minutes to go to work, I have to run after an hour to get to my workstation on time. Such is the leader of this place. Another prominent leader taking a similar attitude and characteristics is a former president.

Yes. Cory Aquino. That pseudo-leader - whose words are required for this country on every situation. Does everyone really want to hear her voice? She plunged this country to an all-time high debt figure in her presidency due to her compromise and illogic!

In this country, there are three leaders.

The leader in position. This is the current President.

The leader affecting. This is the leader that makes things happen - not necessarily good, ethical, or effective. This is currently the group of people in the Opposition.

The leader in character. This is the person who has the moral, ethical, spiritual and objective characteristics, objectives (forgive me for the seeming redundant or circular use of words) and vision for the country. I still do not see this person in the group of people in the leadership.

(I have a lot of opinions on the current status, particularly against the Opposition and a critique on how the President is handling the situation, and how the Filipinos react/respond to the situation, but it would be a long one if I discussed the points one by one.)

So, what is my role?

Honestly, I felt so depressed at first. I wanted to cry for my country. I am grieving for how the people are letting themselves tricked by persons with latent personal schemes and mischief (not to mention incapabilty to lead or manage - you cannot even discipline your own daughter, how can you guide the country?!). I almost cannot sleep.

I read the book of Isaiah and Jeremiah. In those books, Israel was in turmoil - both North and South. There were crises, both internal and external. I read the Second Book of Samuel, particularly when David sinned and left the throne in fear. The Philippine situation is grossly similar. The Words of God were clear in the message. It's just that the people (even the Catholic Church) do not read the Bible - or if they do, they either do not know the message for this situation, or they want to listen to something else.

When I decided that I needed to get sleep, I prayed for the proper approach to the situation, and the answer.

What could I do?

I learned.

My role is to fulfill my role, to look into my responsibilities - which I am answerable to God - and live up to them, and seek the best for my family.

For once, I have agreed to Korina Sanchez (someone said she said this over her morning program). If the family is fine, the country would follow.

If everyone looks into his or her own role and live unto them, the country will go forward and into the proper direction.

The problem is that a lot of people want to another person's business, forget his or her own role (those who ask for the President's resignation, have they done their own job? Those who left the President's Cabinet, don't they remember that while they serve at the President's pleasure, they are actually SERVING THE PUBLIC, not the President? If they left the President because "hindi na nila kayang sikmurain ang ginagawa ng Presidente," doesn't that mean that they were accomplices to a crime committed? Should they not be condemned as well for working with the person they are judging? Should they not be condemned for committing treason - leaving the country and its people?)

Look into your own role, fulfill your responsibilities, live up to your purpose. That is your own role.

EVERYDAY.

God bless the Philippines. God bless the Filipino people. While there was a time when I thought I might dislike my own race, I have cleared my mind. I love this country. I weep, but I smile to its hope.