HUMILITY
“Joseph was Jacob’s
favourite son, of all the family he was the special one: so Jacob bought his
son a multi-coloured coat to wear. The coat was elegant; the cut was fine; the
tasteful style was the ultimate in good design, such a dazzling coat of many
colours. Joseph’s brothers weren’t
too pleased with what they saw . . . and when Joseph graced the scene his
brothers turned a shade of green, his astounding clothing took the biscuit,
quite the smoothest person in the district. "He looked handsome; he looked smart; he was a walking work
of art.” Tim Rice.
Joseph flaunted his coat
as he wore it, and didn’t hesitate to assume the role of lordship, and his
brothers smarted under his presumption. He was superior to them, smarter than
they were, more attractive to people than they were, more richly blessed in
every way, destined for greater things.
He inherited his father’s intelligence, quick-wittedness and shrewdness,
and his mother’s good looks and charm, and when you get a combination of
intelligence, good looks and charm, it’s almost irresistible.
Joseph came into the
world inheriting both the strength and weakness of his father and mother, and
these things he always had to deal with, and so do we. No one comes into the
world with a completely clean slate. We are not absolutely free to be
ourselves. We may not be prepared to agree with William Wordsworth that we come
“trailing clouds of glory” but we must admit that we all come trailing the
characteristics and traits of our fathers and mothers, good and bad.
Then see how evil creeps
into the best of things and the most sacred places. This is a constant theme in every pulpit where the gospel is
preached. We think of the family circle, or the church community as the one
place where ties are secure, where loyalties are absolutely safe, a protection
from all the evils of the world outside, yet it is into these sacred circles
that evil sometimes creeps by way of disloyalty, irresponsibility, jealousy,
and almost before we know it, the circle disintegrates before our eyes. After all, it was
perfectly natural for Joseph to lose his head as a result of all the attention,
and just as natural for the brothers to be jealous of him.
And it’s so easy for us to go into the
secret places of our lives, and say it’s perfectly natural for people to want
to be happy, to be successful, even though they may have to ruin somebody else
in the achievement of it. We ask ourselves, what do we need to do to achieve
our goals? If one is an officer,
what does it take to leap from being a Major to becoming a Lieutenant Colonel,
from being a field officer to being a DC?
What does one have to be, or do, or who does one have to know? Doesn’t everyone want to be a Joseph?
The truth is there will always
be only a small group of people who will wear the coat of many colours, or the
velvet epaulets with silver or gold.
They will always be favoured above the rest of the community.
What matters it the way they wear it.
If you happen to be the one in your circle who is wearing it, whatever
you do, wear it quietly and gratefully. You are what you are, not because of
anything you’ve done, but because of what have been given to you.
If only you can assume the coat that
you didn’t choose, but that has been given to you and wear it humbly, you may
wear it to good advantage. If you don’t, the brothers
will be jealous and the sisters too, and the tension will increase, and it is
almost certain that they will be resentful, or dismissive and fail to show
respect.
Dr. John Sullivan
Former Officer
Canada
14 comments:
'And it’s so easy for us to go into the secret places of our lives, and say it’s perfectly natural for people to want to be happy, to be successful, even though they may have to ruin somebody else in the achievement of it.
We ask ourselves, what do we need to do to achieve our goals? If one is an officer, what does it take to leap from being a Major to becoming a Lieutenant Colonel, from being a field officer to being a DC? What does one have to be, or do, or who does one have to know? '
Which officers benefited most from Dr. Thistle's removal; the Zim TC, the Int'l Secretary Africa, the General, the Chief of the Staff, the IHQ fact finder? Or all of the above!?But at what cost!
Granted, we aren't privy to all the internal political maneuvering, but we recognize that IHQ in their action walked away from the SA's responsibility to serve the suffering and dying. The thousands of villagers who'd come to rely on the SA to guarantee health provision at HH, were denied Christian compassion and healing at the stroke of a pen 4,000 miles away. Their faith in the SA's promises snuffed out in an internal SA turf battle.
Sad beyond comprehension.
UK former
Is there any long-term hope for a movement based on God's leadings when present officers are primarily in thrall to the organisation? (100+ years existence is nothing in the light of eternity).
In an 2012 article in Salvationist.ca, Major Fred Waters, Candidates Secretary, said 'As an officer I choose not only to submit to the Army and its systems, but also to the sovereignty of God'.
Surely it should be submission to God first that drives commitment to TSA? If the order were reversed, we wouldn't have had the HH tragedy.
This little statement indicates all that is wrong in TSA. Leaders trust in TSA first and God second.
Welcome back, Dr. Sullivan!
London
So true about the order of loyalty and obedience priorities, but that's how William Booth designed the cult of officership. I agree God first, but in the cult of officership God's will becomes equated with TSA's will. This obedience and loyalty is idolatry.
I think it's also reflected in the One Mission, One Vision, One Army slogan. Something has struck many people as missing - what happened to one Lord or One Saviour?
I'm reminded of the Gowans and Larsson song from one of the musicals "We're all seeking the same Saviour" - or words to that effect. In TSA it's always been more like "We're all seeking to be loyal to the same Army".
Truly it is a challenge in every field of life when power and privilege are bestowed on a person, for that person to walk humbly - politicians, business executives, clergy. But I think this pride is particularly unbecoming in Christian leaders. To not be able to apologize for tragic mistakes is just symptomatic of such arrogant pride.
I ran across this boastful website today: Health Care for All “Belief in action sums up The Salvation for me,” says Major Dean Pallant, Salvation Army International Health Services Coordinator. “In 117 countries worldwide, The Salvation Army is a significant participant in providing high quality primary health care.
Major, ought the count not be corrected to 116 countries? Surely, Zimbabwe can't possibly be counted in that figure! Unless that is, the SA's including the Karanda Hospital in your count simply because that's where Dr. Paul Thistle (Salvationist) is living and serving in exile.
Fomer Officer - Missionary
Dr. Sullivan,
"If one is an officer, what does it take to leap from being a Major to becoming a Lieutenant Colonel, from being, a field officer to being a DC?"
Blood, marital relations and name recognition.
"What does one have to be, or do, or who does one have to know?
Be born male, little to nothing but wait it out and you're already senior leader relative by blood or marriage!
Sad Indeed, Dr. Sullivan!
I am sure there is more truth than fiction in what you have written! Sad indeed Anonymous.
there is an excellent article on the IHQ website re Howard hospital today and future plans.
Hmmm, this article should set the cat amongst the pigeons. Now just waiting for the feathers to start flying. It should increase expressed blog traffic a little over the coming days. Exciting!
....."Hmmm, this article should set the cat amongst the pigeons alright. Now just waiting for the feathers to start flying. It should increase expressed blog traffic a little over the coming days. Exciting!"
(Repeated on the last blog comments)
You should really see someone about your tendency to repeat yourself, especially in such a short space of time. It could be the start of something serious. You must be a real saddo to get your thrills from this. You possibly need to get out a little more.
The abuse of power causes a “rotting” at the spiritual core of the church. Could it be that one of the key reasons we see spiritual lethargy in the life of the church today relates to the abuse or, at least, the love of power by top leaders of the church?
It's sad that so often Officership is seen primarily as a career and not a calling. As a soldier of many years' standing I have seen officers come and go, and you can easily identify the ones who will go on to 'higher' posts. They aren't always the most gracious or caring - they just tick the required Army promotion 'boxes'. If you are an active officer reading this, and you aren't one of the 'favoured few', just take encouragement from the fact that God doesn't judge us by SA rank - He judges us by our deeds and our care of those with whom we have fellowship.
Not all able and capable active officers have the inclination, desire nor ambition to become one of the 'favoured few' to attain top rank. Who would want to give up the freedom of being an inspirational and effective corps officer in a decent appointment for becoming a mere tied functionary at any HQ where you have to report in and out when needing to go to the toilet?
I realise that there are the kudo's of rank and position - I believe more so of rank than position especially in a rank conscious nation such as the USA. That is the place where, when Lt Cols ships were not longer bestowed upon as a gift by the General for a while, some majors nearly went mad with despair!
Not forgetting of course, the larger sized desk that went with higher rank!
So, you may end up as a DC - after all just a middle management position. Places at the top with matching executive responsibility are few and far between. Plenty of room for plebs of course. For many HQ is a haven and a heaven due to life's circumstances and that is good.
From long officership experience I have observed many - including fellow cadets - those with great promise and ability, those who ultimately would have 'made it', including 'children of the regiment' fall by the wayside for all sorts of reasons and not all honourably either. On the other hand there are people in such positions who you never thought off in the first place.
Very good article John-and yes, welcome back! Btw, the last anonymous commenter probably wrote the best and most realistic conclusion to your article of all the commenters.
True, there still is a modern day nepotism of sorts (though certainly not as bad as in the days of William Booth or the Army's second and third generations!) but exactly who gets to the upper eschelons of the Army world really isn't ALL that cut and dried any longer---and there's all types of examples to prove it if one cares to take a closer look.
Daryl Lach
USA Central
"You Must Go Home By the Way of the Cross, To Stand with Jesus in the Morning!"
Yes Daryl, if I were still an officer I would want nothing more than to be a Corps officer as the poster suggested. I am a preacher and a pastor and love the freedom to be and to be a servant.
Personally, I think the whole rank business is just that: "rank" with its other meaning. I have never allowed anyone to call me Reverend or Doctor, and I wish Sven wouldn't refer to me that way. I'm sure I've told him that.
Everyone in my congregations have called me John. I've been told by some of my colleagues that some of my present parishioners call me Saint John behind my back, and that is fine as along as they acknowledge that they are saints also in terms of N.T. thinking.
I understand that some years back the suggestion was made that every officer be called Captain and many agreed . . . but pride and circumstance prevailed as they usually do. Some theologians think that "hubris" is another word for sin!
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