By Sid Roberts / Herald Forum
Americans have made many advancements in life. This is true both of material goods as well as in technology.
In fact, modern technology is now a ubiquitous part of daily life. The so called “smart” phone makes us look not so smart. Artificial intelligence is here and the once unthinkable self-driving car is upon us.
Technology, ready or not, pushes society into the future. It enables new capabilities and provides an endless stream of information and intelligence. Still, it is not clear whether people are any smarter or any better off than they were 20 or 30 years ago.
Many soft skills from the past are disappearing, yet we still need them. For example, the ability to have civil, adult conversations with people we disagree with is becoming rare.
Another virtue that seems to be vanishing is the ability to admit to being wrong. Humility is required to do that, yet such meekness seems to be in short supply today also. Why is it so difficult for people to acknowledge their mistakes or ask someone’s forgiveness?
Part of the problem appears to be a desire to appear strong and never appear vulnerable. That impulse may stem from deep insecurity or self-absorbed tendencies. Narcissistic individuals cannot seem to tolerate being wrong and will go to great lengths to avoid appearing weak.
Ironically, admitting error often works in a person’s favor. People are drawn to those who can openly acknowledge their flaws. When someone admits imperfection, others feel more at ease around them and see transparency and authenticity. These are qualities that inspire trust and make for a true and righteous leader.
Although humility has been largely cast aside in modern culture, it is more important now than ever and is a powerful and rare attribute.
Humility and public confession of wrongdoing have a clear faith application, too. The Bible, as well as most faith traditions, teaches that pride is incompatible with servant-hood. A person cannot be both a servant of God and consumed by self-importance and hubris.
C.S. Lewis, a British author and lay theologian, once wrote about what he called “the great sin.” According to Lewis, this vice trumps them all and even caused the devil to fall from heaven. Something to think about.
Another essential trait of a righteous leader is a disciplined tongue. That lesson was learned for me early in life; courtesy of a bar of soap. Those forbidden curse words once seemed incredibly useful to me, and at times they still seem tempting. That is certainly true when in traffic. Yet speech reveals what resides within a person. Jesus taught that corruption does not come from what enters the mouth, but from what comes out of it.
In an human resources or hiring environment, would it be wise to offer a leadership job to someone who displays excessive pride or a person who speaks in public with a foul mouth? Yet can you think of a national leader who has these flaws?
Prideful unwillingness to admit weakness or to stop using careless and crude language both reveal poor character. This kind of behavior usually, in time, is revealed and judged openly. A biblical proverb sums it up nicely, “pride goes before a fall and a haughty spirit before destruction.” Proverbs 16:18.
For our country to move forward, leadership marked by humility, accountability and disciplined speech is essential. Public servants must be willing to admit their faults and govern with transparency and integrity.
Simply stated, we don’t need to make America great again. We need to make America humble again. Because at the end of the day, greatness is obtained through transparency, truthful speech and humility; not through haughtiness, self-righteousness or potty mouth.
Talk is cheap; true leadership is costly, but essential to govern or to lead.
Sid Roberts is Mayor of Stanwood.
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