Time to build with pre-Lincoln Logs (Matthew 23:11)

In December of 1777 the Continental Army set up an encampment at Valley Forge during a harsh winter. During these tough conditions, a solider recently promoted to the rank of corporal was attempting to instill some endurance in the hearts of his men. His task was to build a tall rampart of logs and the three men under his command were struggling to put the final log on top of the wall.

“Up with it!” shouted the corporal. The three soldiers picked the log up off the ground and hoisted it over their heads to roll it into place. Their arms began to shake under the weight of the log, and it slipped from their hands and landed back on the ground with a loud thud!

“Come on men. One last log, and we can head back to the camp! Now lift with all your strength,” shouted the corporal. The three soldiers were renewed with a final gathering of strength and seized the log with their dirty and bruised hands. With a quick lift the log was up over their heads and nearly in place. Again their arms began to shake under the weight and the log slipped from their hands and landed back on the ground with a loud thud!

“We aren’t leaving until you place that log! Back to position and lift!” shouted the corporal. The three soldiers tugged at the log and with some difficulty managed to hoist it over their head again. As before, their arms began to shake under the weight, but just as the log was about to slip a new set of hands joined in and grabbed the log and with a mighty heave, the four mean pushed it into place firmly on top of the wall.

The weary soldiers looked over to see a tall man with his collar upturned to protect from the cold wind. Before the soldiers could thank him, the tall man turned to the corporal. 
 “Why didn’t you help your men with the heavy lifting?” the man asked.
“Don’t you see?” relied the officer with pride. “I’m a corporal!”

“Indeed.”  The tall man responded. Then he opened up his coat to reveal his uniform. “I’m General George Washington, the Commander-in-Chief.  The next time you have a log too heavy for your men to lift, send for me!”

We often think of servant leadership as either an oxymoron or unattainable. Only Jesus could do it, but come on, He was God! History shows that there are many more exceptions to  this impossible way of leading.

Despite all the military and political success of George Washington, many people point to his greatest accomplishment as when he resigned as commander and chief. It was an act so shocking that even King George III of England called Washington the "greatest character of the age." So many before who achieved such high military success immediate moved to increase their power. Julius Caesar. Oliver Cromwell. Napoleon. George Washington's selfless decision to leave the country in the control of the people was so unheard of that they called him the American Cincinnatus! Wait who was Cincinnatus? Perhaps there are more servant leaders than we originally thought...

If you chop down cherry trees to try to become president: