Estimated reading time: 9 minute(s)
by Willie Muhammad
Part 2 or 9
I can imagine how some may have scratched their heads when I mentioned the “Lion and Lamb Principleâ€Â as one of the leadership qualities of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. Such a description is usually not listed in books or articles that are about leadership. Hopefully as you read this entry you will understand why I did.
These two animals are of different natures. Lions are known for their aggressiveness and lambs for their meekness. Lions are used to symbolize strength, one of sound judgment and one who is an opponent to be reckoned with. Lambs on the other hand are used to symbolize submissiveness, gentleness and one who has a willing spirit to sacrifice. Jesus is referred to as the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God. I believe the reason these two descriptions are used to refer to Jesus, is for the purpose of showing how he is an individual who has a perfect balance between self-confidence and humility. The same cannot be said about many people.
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has a perfect balance between self-confidence and humility. Such a balance is needed for anyone who sits in a leadership position.
I have come across people who have felt that the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan was arrogant. I don’t know how they can misperceive him as being arrogant, because such a perception of him is totally inaccurate. What I have noticed from my discussions with such people is that their misperception stems from them not being accustomed to someone who boldly and unapologetically speaks the truth regardless to whom or what. Plus, the truth that the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan speaks exposes their fears and insecurity. Instead of acknowledging this, they attempt to paint him as being arrogant so they can justify not listening to the truths that come from his mouth. The Minister’s confidence is not rooted in arrogance at all. It instead stems from his great faith in the God whom has helped him in his growth and development.
The quality of our spiritual heart determines the quality of our spiritual sight and our ability to see the Divine in others and more importantly ourselves. When we cannot see it in ourselves we struggle seeing it in others. (Matt.5:8) For example, prior to slaying the giant Goliath, David was accused as being arrogant by his oldest brother (1 Samuel 17:28). Some translations even have the brother referring to David as being “conceited†and having a “wicked heart.†Boy was he wrong. The same is true about those who misperceived the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan! If the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan had a heart filled with arrogance he would not be where he is today, for arrogance restricts the elevation of anyone who possesses it. Arrogant leaders cannot run or survive in the race/mission of redemption. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has a fifty plus year track record in such a mission. The arrogant cannot take much and Black people can give one a lot to take (smile).
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan exudes so much confidence, that I have sometimes thought that he was born that way and never had a struggled in that area. The Minister’s humility has helped me to realize otherwise. He is so humble that he is not afraid or ashamed to share life experiences that have helped to shape him. I am not just talking about superficial experiences. The Minister has shared some real intimate life experiences, you know the kind that many of us keep tucked in our minds.
