Tensions on the Journey

The recent BBC production of ‘Around the World in 80 Days’.

My wife & I recently finished viewing ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ on BBC iplayer.  We don’t normally binge-watch TV shows, but this adaptation had us hooked, and ended up being a great distraction from the covid winter blues. 

David Tennant plays Phileas Fogg, a repressed upper class Victorian Englishman who inhabits a very small world until his decision, on a whim, to take a risk and expand his horizons, which very quickly takes him out of his comfort zone.  It’s a big bold story full of risk and courage as he and his unlikely travelling companions overcome the many natural and man-made obstacles involved in circumnavigating the globe on a deadline. 

Despite the vast physical miles covered, as you might expect, the real journeys happen internally as each of the three central characters face their own challenges.  The story is driven by inevitable relationship tensions as they figure out their motivations, adjust their expectations and eventually grow into a close and supportive friendship.  And throughout the whole piece, of course, is an underlying question: Will they achieve their goal and make it back in time?

Tension is what makes the best narratives work. Whatever the genre, be it drama or fantasy, biography or documentary, sci-fi or sport, it’s the tension that drives any story forward. Tension between characters, between values, and between dreams & desires. Tension is what makes us turn the page in a book, or keeps us on the edge of our seat. 

It’s ironic that while tension makes the best stories, no-one really wants to live through it in real life.  Given the chance, I suggest that most of us would choose a simple and comfortable existence, free from the stresses and anxieties of life – as if that were possible! 

But tension is what leads to growth.  It is when we face the misunderstandings and deal with the shortcomings that we learn courage and resilience.  It is when we push through our fears that we grow in character.  And it is when we acknowledge our vulnerability and choose to put our trust in God, that we can know his greater perspective on our lives.

As Paul encourages the Philippian church, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

There is no circumstance that God cannot help with or doesn’t want to hear about.  As we approach him in thankful prayer, and present our fears and requests to him, he promises a supernatural peace which ‘transcends all understanding’.  

For me, this is the main way I draw the strength and courage I need to face the inevitable tensions involved in stepping out of my comfort zone and trying to make a difference in the world. It is a very real conversation based on a very real relationship with God, and one which I have been journeying with all my adult life.

First Published in the Hampshire Chronicle Christian Comment 3 Feb 2022

Dealers in Hope

I have just finished listening to a fascinating podcast series. Renegades: Born in the USA features several hours of wide ranging conversations between rock superstar Bruce Springsteen and former President Barak Obama.

The differences between them are obvious, but, as they shared in the series, they have much more in common than you would perhaps initially expect. Both had difficult relationships with their fathers growing up which affected them well into adulthood. Both share an admiration for the strong mothers who raised them, and their equally strong wives.  Both talk movingly about raising their own children, and about their own fallibilities despite the obvious successes. 

What I found most inspiring was to hear two globally influential leaders in their field talking with such honesty about how they were affected by the images & role models of masculinity they had inherited, and the cultural values of the society they had grown up in.  This kind of emotional literacy is rarely expressed in public, but when it is, it is so refreshing and so releasing.  Both men are personally vulnerable & very real about the many challenges they have faced, and those which they see in their world.  But despite all of that, they clearly also share an infectious sense of optimism which clearly looks beyond the current situation and strives for a better future.  In the words of Napoleon, they are both ‘leaders who deal in hope’. 

The bible is scattered with references to hope. It’s impossible to put your faith in God without believing that there’s more to life than this ephemeral world. Christians believe in a glorious future where the pain and sufferings of our present age are overcome with the beauty and power of God’s kingdom.  We also believe that signs of that future are visible in today’s broken society through the peace & presence of God, and the practical love and actions of Christ’s body – the church.

John records that Jesus told his disciples, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).  His sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate embodiment of hope for troubled times.  As we prepare to celebrate his arrival on the earth this Christmas, let’s become dealers in hope ourselves, viewing our current circumstances in the context of God’s bigger picture.  As Jethro sings to Moses in the Prince of Egypt film: “Look at your life through heaven’s eyes”.

Whatever you’re going through today, in the words of the apostle Paul, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

First published in Hampshire Chronicle (Christian Comment) 23 December 2021

Leadership Standards

Despite the heartbreak of losing in the final, England’s endeavours at the recent European Football Championships gave many of us something to cheer about after months of covid gloom.  

Following decades of failure at international level, Gareth Southgate has been a key architect of the team’s success.  After their semi-final win over Denmark, pundit & former player Gary Neville commented:-

“The standard of leaders in this country in the last couple of years has been poor. And looking that that man there [Southgate] that’s everything a leader should be: respectful, humble. Tells the truth.” 

In the wake of the US presidential election last Autumn, I wrote about the importance of character across all leadership contexts, and here again, very publicly, is a shining example of humility and honesty which has captured the heart of the nation and led to significant results. 

The Apostle Paul writing to his protege Timothy, describes the qualities to look for when appointing leaders.  The list in 1 Tim 3 is particularly striking because of the high emphasis he places on character, compared with raw skills. Paul insists that a leader must be above reproach, faithful in marriage, sober minded, self-controlled, gentle, respectful, hospitable and have a good reputation with the community.  By contrast, he only really names one specific skill in this list, namely; that they must be able to teach.  

Clearly a leader’s skills and experience are important, but their character must also count if they hope to be a role model or example for others to follow in any context.  Leadership is influence, and the way a leader acts, their personal integrity and how they treat people will always be a huge factor in how successfully they can take people with them on their journey. 

Paul very much thought of himself in the role of a father, describing Timothy as a “dearly loved son”. The best parents love their children unconditionally while calling them to greatness, disciplining them where necessary, and guiding them as they grow. More than a boss, a commander or a teacher, the analogy of a parent best fits the biblical model of leadership, and Paul writes about both his motherly and fatherly characteristics in 1 Thessalonians:-

We were never patronising, never condescending, but we cared for you the way a mother cares for her children… With each of you we were like a father with his child, holding your hand, whispering encouragement, showing you step-by-step how to live well before God.” 1 Thess 2:7,11 (The Message)

Southgate’s fatherly qualities are an obvious part of his management style.  He is the first to console a young player after their penalty failures (even if they’re on the other team!). He takes responsibility for his own mistakes while allowing his players to take the credit for their success. He is clearly admired and well respected by his talented young squad, and, as Gary Neville so clearly pointed out, leaders from any sphere would do well to learn from his example.

First published in the Hampshire Chronicle 4 July 2021