Security for a Lifetime

A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But, a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise woman. “I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me this stone.” (author unknown, http://www.inspirationpeak.com)

While the wise woman is clearly remarkable, the traveler is also exceptional. He holds the precious stone – his guarantee to embrace all opportunities regardless of cost, to savor the peace that financial independence brings, and to move through life as an accomplished, respected man. Yet after days of grasping the full impact of this lottery like winning, the man doesn’t want it. Why? He comes to understand true success – so clearly revealed by the wise woman’s generous heart. Her reward is complete, enduring, and forever renewing to her spirit. She has mastered the calling of the servant leader. Now that’s the gift of a lifetime.

In Robert Greenleaf‘s book The Servant as Leader, he explains that the servant-leader is servant first. Then the person consciously chooses to use the gifts of leadership to facilitate the serving of others. This person then is sharply different from someone who is leader first. The servant leader is also mindful of two goals: Do those I serve grow as persons? Do they become healthier, more capable, wiser people and do they seek to become servant leaders?

Like the wise woman, the servant leader possesses abundant thinking. Such a mindset seeks mutual benefit, really tries to listen and then be heard, and tosses out hidden agendas. The motto of the abundant thinker is “My ego is in doing right, not in being right.” Just try living that one sentence today particularly if emotions might be charged.

One other thing - if we find ourselves holding back our congratulations and our enthusiasm for others’ good fortune, we need to admit this to ourselves. Such scarcity is sometimes rooted in comparisons. Don’t go down that path. Remember the advice from the Desiderata: “If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.”

As our Lord prepared to leave his friends, he prayed for them and for us. His prayer resonates with the gracious spirit of the wise woman. “But now I am coming to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” Let us ask the Lord for the desire to deepen our generosity and our gratitude. Just to ask for this gift is a great step forward in receiving it!