Like many of my generation, Bruce Springsteen (aka "the Boss") had a uniquely formative influence, resonating in countless ways and shaping how I view the human experience. A common figure in a typical Boss song is a tragic everyday "hero" -- a sort of everyman down on his luck, who is torn between the tension of needing to present a tough face to the world while underneath facing the reality of his own human shortcomings and seeing love as the only saving grace for a wandering soul on this cold, hard planet.
For example, in his iconic "Born to Run," the song's hero describes his plight as a "tramp. . . out on the wire" who needs to "spring from cages" and the "death traps" that plague his place in this world. But despite the challenges of his predicament, the hero contends that "together we could break this trap" and so he makes both a bold invitation and an equally bold admission:
"Will you walk with me out on the wire?
'Cause I'm just a scared and lonely rider"
As leaders, how many of us are that honest? How many of us make ourselves that vulnerable -- boldly admitting that we are also "scared and lonely" and then pairing this divulgence with a bold invitation to come join us "out on the wire"?
Such naked honesty and vulnerability to this degree is not the norm. For example, in the world described in "Born to Run" "girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors and the boys try to look so hard." In the day to day of leading and living, there typically seems a similar preoccupation with appearance and projected toughness -- being on top of one's game, being "in control." That's what we have come to expect from leadership. That's what leadership is, right?
But in the passage above from Philippians, Peter describes a radically different kind of leadership -- in many ways as radically different today as it was 2,000 years ago. A leader who empties himself, takes the form of a servant, makes himself vulnerable, and thus has his humanity arise.
These are hard concepts for a "scared and lonely" leader to come to. As Richard Rohr so succinctly explains, "We like control; God it seems likes vulnerabilty." Therefore, we often cling to the notion that leadership is about authority, control, and power over others. Whereas true leadership, as exemplified by Christ, is really about letting go, emptying ourselves of our selves so that we can be real with our people, take on the servant's stance, and watch our own humanity and community rise as a result.
And thus, in the emptying of our pretenses, in the pairing of our bold admission alongside our bold invitation, we create conditions for a coming together and convey two powerful messages in the process: (A) courage is not the absence of fear but the overcoming of it and (B) together, we have the strength to overcome anything we face.
So, will you walk with me out on the wire?
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Dear Lord,
Thank you for the many ways that You guide my steps. Among those lessons, thank you for Your example of bold invitation and courageous vulnerability, a way of leading and living that changed the world! I pray that You will give me the courage and grace and humility to walk a similar path. In that fashion, help me to empty myself of my self, my ego, and my ambition, so that I can be filled fully by the Holy Spirit in all that I do.
And in my daily leading and living, let me exemplify for others the refrain of Your classic hymn:
"Will you let me be your servant?
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant too."
"In the love of God, the peace of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, I pray."
Amen.
