It is Lonely At The Top

This is not a political posting and I do not want any love or hate Trump comments. But as I look at this photo I think of all the times I had to make a hard decision. A decision that would affect negatively many lives regardless of what I decided. I recall how that weighted not only on my mind but upon my soul itself and the "damned if you and damned if you don't" feelings I had.

Good people would offer me their advice and even make their demands regarding what I should decide known. I would think, this all seems so simple to them. How I wanted to turn to each of them and say, "Here, since it is so simple and such an easy thing you decide."

In less significant issues I would sometimes do just that. I would tell some complaining individual, "It is clear that you are concerned about this and that you have spent a lot of time thinking about it. I think you'd be the best person to put in charge of this issue." In every instance, with the exception of once (and that proved to be a mistake) and there were many, they all declined.

In those moments I understood the dilemma of the great Apostle who once said, "I am torn between the two." There is never a win when you are confronted with such choices.  People are going to hurt whatever you decide. Some will be family and friends. But you are the man of the hour. Fate, history or God has placed you where you are and it is you that must decide. You know much of the fallout from your decision and would like to just walk away. But that is not a choice . . . . .you and you alone must decide and what you decide will change a lot of lives . . . . . some for good and others not so good. But decide you must. It is more than your job to do so. It is your responsibility and it is the hour for which you have been chosen.

You have moments when you'd like to hide; moments where tears flow because of the consequences of what you must decide. Now multiply that pressure a thousand or ten thousand times over and you may feel just a little of what the President is experiencing.

I see all this reflected in this man's face. That is why I have ceased my politically motivated commentaries on Facebook. I will only engage with what I believe to be the most egregious cases of Trump Hatred Syndrome.

This decision was reached after I saw in one press interview a crack in his armor . . . . .  a moment when his feeling almost overtook him. He wept for just a split second as he spoke of the great numbers of people who will die. In that moments I felt what I have not felt in many years, the emotional, spiritual and yes even physical impact of "The lonely weight of being in command." The weight of being the only one in the room whose thinking and decisions  really matters and that time is running out to decide.  It truly is "Lonely at the top."

All of us who have to lead soon face the loneliness of command. Leadership is always a personal endeavor, a very human endeavor. It matters not whether you’re leading in a commercial bank, a nonprofit, or as a teacher in a school leadership becomes very human and very personal.  Often, as leaders, we’re going to have to make difficult, sometimes painful, decisions. There is a weight that we will have to carry, and the burden will sometimes seem almost unbearable.  Our President is facing one of those times.

I do not believe he is playing games with this and I do believe we should not be either. We all have ideas; we all think we know what should be done (I know I do) but not a single one of us carries the responsibility for taking actions. I don't know about you but so far no one has called me and asked me, "What would you do?" And it is just as well because in the end I'd have to say, "Mr. President,  it matters little what I think or would do. It is not my decision to make. What matters is what you think and what you decide."

So here is some advice that I can give. First, to the President: Listen to your counselors, weight the evidence, select what you believe to be the least destructive and yet most effective course of action and act boldly. Heed Martin Luther's advice that when confronted between a choice between two competing evils chose the lessor and sin with boldness."

To the rest of us I would say:
➤ Keep doing all the good containment procedures. Don't use any lessening of the rules for containment become and excuse for doing needless travel and attend large public missions.
➤ Pray for the President and his advisors. After all, as Christians, we have been commanded to pray for all that are in authority to the end that we may all lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
➤ As long as you are self-isolating look for some way to make a positive impact on your own community.