- You are your brother’s keeper
Genesis 4
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”
- Your “brother” goes far beyond the people in your family. It extends to neighbors, friends, church community and even strangers.
- Luke 6:31
- Do to others as you would have them do to you.
In your life you will have opportunities to help others. And you will be called upon to do that. Live a life were you look forward to helping others in true need. Even if it comes with a personal cost. You are your brother’s keeper.
- Life is not fair
To handle tragedy may, indeed, be the mark of an educated man or woman, for one of the principal goals of education must be to prepare people for failure. - James Bond Stockdale
The book of Job is a prime example of bad things happening to a good person. We live a in a fallen world were bad things occur every day. In order to be a true leader you have to understand that things will not always go according to plan, but you can’t let that give you an excuse to stop moving forward. Life won’t be fair, so learn how to deal with the cards you have been dealt.
- Duty Comes before defiance
The Only Thing Necessary for the Triumph of Evil is that Good Men Do Nothing. - John Stuart Mill
- You have a duty to others. Your duties could include being a husband, father, son, co-worker, employee. There are various positions in the community that need to be filled by educated, Christ led men. If you have issues with how things are being done then you must act in order to change them.
Colossians 3:23-24 NIV
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
- Moral responsibility cannot be escaped
A person is the sum of his deeds, and the responsibility for them rests squarely on his own shoulders.
- James Bond Stockdale
You are responsible for your own actions. The three previous principle are great to look back on to help grade yourself on your moral responsibly. How are you treating your neighbors? How are you handling failure? Are you stepping up to your duties or are you running away from them?
What you do today counts forever. You are responsible for your own actions.
THE PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP
By JAMES BOND STOCKDALE