WISDOM + JUSTICE = SOUND LEADERSHIP

WISDOM + JUSTICE = SOUND LEADERSHIP

Consider the strange tale of a wild pig living in the jungles of Tripura.  She lived happily with her children.  One day, while foraging through the jungle for her children’s food, she noticed a weeping tiger cub behind a bush.  Finding no trace of the cub’s mother, she thought that the tigress might have been killed by hunters.  The mother pig immediately took pity on the cub and thought, ‘How can I leave this orphan cub in such a condition?  After all, I am a mother.  I shall take the cub with me and rear him up.’

The mother pig began to look after the cub, along with her own children, as best as possible.  Thereafter the tiger cub became a fully accepted member of the pig family.  He and the piglets played together, ate together, roamed together and slept together.  

The days passed and eventually the mother pig died.  The cub was, by then, a full-grown tiger and the piglets were no longer little; they were big fat pigs.  By nature, a tiger lives on flesh, so a deep desire for eating flesh gradually developed in the tiger.  He was tempted to devour the pigs, but a direct attack would earn him a bad name as they had grown up as siblings together.  Therefore, he mapped out a subtle plan.

One day, he said to one of the pigs, “Brother, last night I had a dream.  In my dream, I saw I was eating you up.  As you might imagine, it is a sin to dishonor a dream.  Therefore, I have decided to kill you and eat your flesh.  I am ready to fulfill your last desire, if there be any, before killing you.”

The terrified pig tried his best to make the tiger see that his dream had nothing to do with reality.  But the tiger was adamant.  By then, the pig realized that it would be difficult to escape from the clutches of the huge tiger.  At last, the pig said, “If you kill me, other pigs will defame you.  I think it would be better if three animals accept your argument before you kill me.”

The tiger reluctantly agreed to the proposal.  So first of all, they went to a monkey and explained the entire story.  The monkey supported the tiger.  Then, both of them met a hen who also supported the tiger.  The tiger was very delighted but the pig was understandably upset.

Finally, they took their case t0 a bat.  After hearing the claim of the tiger, the bat realized his malicious intent right away.  However, he disclosed nothing and only said, “It is a complicated matter.  I would ask you to go to the king for proper judgment.”  He informed them that he would appear in the king’s court at the time of the hearing of their case.

Both the tiger and the pig appeared before the king in his court and narrated the whole episode.  The pig informed the king that a witness would appear very soon.  The king asked them to wait while he handled other royal business.  Suddenly, the bat fell from the ceiling of the royal court on the ground and began to dance with joy.  The king warned the bat not to misbehave in the royal court.  The bat begged forgiveness for his behavior, saying “My lord, I fell asleep while waiting on the ceiling of the court.  At that time, I had a dream but I am afraid to reveal it,” the bat said, trembling with fear.  The king told him, “Don’t worry, you can disclose your dream without fear.”

The bat said, “In my dream, I saw myself marrying the princess.” He pleaded that the king would fulfill his dream by arranging a marriage to the princess.  The king became angry and warned the bat not to press for such an absurd demand: “It is not proper to put forward a proposal on the basis of a dream,” insisted the king firmly.  “A dream is a dream and has no connection with reality.”

The bat seized the opportunity and asked, “Since that is true, how could the tiger kill the pig and eat his flesh on the strength of his dream?”  The king accepted the bat’s arguments and rejected outright the foolish proposal of the tiger.  He also ordered the tiger and the pig to live separately, thereafter, in the jungle.

It is of paramount importance that leaders develop a sharp sense of discernment.  Additionally, they must be open to hear and consider the viewpoints of others, recognizing that leaders do not possess a monopoly on insight and understanding.  Finally, in every deliberation and decision, leaders must be consciously fair and conscientiously just.  The final words of King David summarize these truths so well:

II Samuel 23:1-3 (NKJV)

Now these are the last words of David.  Thus says David the son of Jesse; thus says the man raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel: “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue.  The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: “He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.”

My beloved friends, I make no attempt to sway you one way or another regarding the upcoming USA presidential and congressional elections.  After all, you have your own mind and conscience.  Nevertheless, I hope and trust that we will be very prayerful, cautious and discerning as we seek to identify wisdom, sound judgment and godliness in political candidates.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!