Leading and Serving - Not So Easy

Last week, James Webb, a decorated Marine veteran, was to receive the Distinguished Graduate Award from the United States Naval Academy.  Alumni from the Naval Academy, many from my class, protested his selection; in the end, Mr. Webb declined the award. 

Mr. Webb is well-known, by the first women who graduated from the Academy, for his 1979 article Women Can't Fight.  In the article, he calls the Naval Academy a "horny woman's dream."  The harm and hurt from that article fueled a lot of the protest against Mr. Webb receiving the award.

But that's not my big memory of him.  I remember that, in 1987, Mr. Webb became Secretary of the Navy.  And then, ten months later, he quit.

In Webb's defense, one of my classmates said that senior leaders often use the "threat to resign" as leverage, and that Webb was called on it. 

I responded:

Military leadership and life throw lots of stuff, lots of impossibles at us. A leader's job is to make it work somehow, do the best he can, remembering that he's also leading, influencing, and caring for those under him. People are looking up to him, he's in charge - what's he going to do? It's not easy "not to quit" when a situation is difficult, but that's what leaders do - persist and figure it out.

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And the above was really easy for me to write.  But being that type of leader, responding with truth and honor in all situations, not looking back, no matter the cost...not so easy. 

But, Jesus... 

He had presence and spoke with truth.

And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.  Mark 1:22

He came to serve and to die. 

...the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.  Matthew 20:28

He was often burdened and lonely.  As He struggled in the garden, His disciples fell asleep; one of them betrayed Him; Peter denied Him; and, in the end, they deserted Him and ran away.

And they all left him and fled. Mark 14:50

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.           Isaiah 53:5 

Despite the hardship, the loneliness, the burden, despite the cost, Jesus didn't quit. He didn't look back.  His face was to the cross.

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. Luke 9:51

For me...He did it for me...