True Power

True Power

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Everyone Wants To Lead (Joan of Arc)

I was in a meeting supporting my friend who happens to be a city alderman. After talking about the plans in store for our city and whether the proposed concept was good for the city, someone said, "It has always been hard for a certain segment of the population to work effectively together because everyone wants to be the leader and no one wants to follow."

This was not a comment that did not ring true to the many people in the meeting room. I myself belong to several groups and hold various positions and have been frustrated beyond belief at how we spin our wheels and accomplish nothing. To be truthful, everyone in the organization does want to lead and can not be counted on to follow.

Being a TCM (Turner Classic Movie) fan, I spent this past Sunday night snuggled on my favorite couch to watch two versions of Joan Of Arc. The first was a 1927 silent black and white version and the second was a foreign French version, black and white from 1937, I believe. Each movie was had the English dialogue streaming on the bottom of the screen.

1920's Joan
I have seen many versions of Joan Of Arc, but never one of the two listed above. These two versions were produced using only original court transcripts and interviews found by the people of that time.

Joan was tried by the Catholic Church with the English having a vested interest in the outcome of her trial due to the fact she was helping the king of France, an enemy at the time.

Joan broke all of the rules. She wore men clothing, led men into battle, wore armor, cut her hair, and worst of all; she believed she could by pass the church i.e. bishops and pope and speak directly with God and even the saints and angels (Micheal). She was a heretic and the church was going to excommunicate her if she did not recant that she was working under the counsel of God. While in prison it was determined that her clothes may have been giving her stoic resolve so they tried to get her to put on a dress; which she refused to do. Then it was determined since she vowed her virginity to God, she was receiving her stregnth from that. In the 1937 movie Joan told a priest that the guards had tried to rape her on three different occasions. Communion was paraded before her as a bargaining tool to get her to recant.
After being tried just feet from the galleys, she recanted, but within hours changed her mind and said she was weakened by the fear of death but could not make God a liar and said her recanting was the true lie.

Joan was burned at the stake with the church and governmental officials looking on. As soon as the flames began, you could see the doubt cross the faces of the men. They had to wonder, who would go to their death proclaiming to be a servant of God if they were not. This was the action of the Jesus and later the apostles.
I thought about all of the people who want to lead. When glory, fame, fortune, and honor are to the results it is easy to want to lead, but when ridicule, torture and death are the result, no hand will go up to be chosen.

Great leaders always pay a heavy price whether you are aware of it or not. If you were to read the biography of people we consider great, there will be pages filled with pain and often times uncertainty and pure defeat of the spirit at times.

Victory has many fathers. But who claims defeat? The person who claims defeat is the one who got back up and dusted themselves off and continued onward not accepting defeat as an option, but just a bump in the road.
Joan Of Arc was a woman who led but she was also a woman who followed God. The church saw her as a threat with her nonsense of hearing and talking to God on her own. Years would pass and what the church feared at that time would still come to pass, the Protestant movement came and said we should be able to read the Bible for themselves and pray on their own.

So now I must ask myself do I know when to lead and do I know when to follow. Joan's life ended at the age of 19 in a tragic blaze of fire and smoke. She stood behind her beliefs and cause to the end. All I can say is, I can understand why men would follow her into battle

3 comments:

oakleyses said...

replica watches, michael kors outlet online, polo ralph lauren outlet online, ray ban sunglasses, jordan shoes, uggs outlet, louis vuitton, louis vuitton outlet, louis vuitton, ray ban sunglasses, christian louboutin, nike free, oakley sunglasses, kate spade outlet, longchamp outlet, longchamp outlet, oakley sunglasses wholesale, burberry outlet, prada handbags, michael kors outlet, michael kors outlet, michael kors outlet online, nike outlet, christian louboutin uk, longchamp outlet, gucci handbags, uggs outlet, replica watches, tiffany and co, chanel handbags, oakley sunglasses, oakley sunglasses, burberry handbags, nike air max, tiffany jewelry, uggs on sale, nike air max, michael kors outlet online, polo outlet, michael kors outlet online, louis vuitton outlet, cheap oakley sunglasses, ray ban sunglasses, ugg boots, christian louboutin outlet, tory burch outlet, louis vuitton outlet

oakleyses said...

louboutin pas cher, nike roshe, polo lacoste, sac vanessa bruno, north face, replica handbags, jordan pas cher, true religion jeans, nike blazer pas cher, timberland pas cher, true religion outlet, michael kors outlet, nike free uk, michael kors, true religion outlet, ralph lauren uk, coach outlet, hollister pas cher, north face uk, ray ban pas cher, burberry pas cher, lululemon canada, nike air force, longchamp pas cher, polo ralph lauren, nike roshe run uk, coach purses, sac hermes, oakley pas cher, guess pas cher, vans pas cher, air max, nike free run, new balance, sac longchamp pas cher, abercrombie and fitch uk, mulberry uk, converse pas cher, nike air max, nike tn, coach outlet store online, hogan outlet, nike air max uk, michael kors, nike air max uk, michael kors pas cher, hollister uk, true religion outlet, ray ban uk, kate spade

oakleyses said...

swarovski crystal, louis vuitton, louis vuitton, gucci, thomas sabo, doudoune moncler, juicy couture outlet, wedding dresses, toms shoes, moncler outlet, juicy couture outlet, louis vuitton, montre pas cher, pandora uk, ugg uk, swarovski, louis vuitton, marc jacobs, moncler outlet, vans, moncler, coach outlet, ray ban, supra shoes, canada goose uk, links of london, canada goose, converse outlet, moncler, converse, canada goose, canada goose outlet, barbour, lancel, louis vuitton, moncler uk, moncler, moncler, ugg,ugg australia,ugg italia, barbour uk, replica watches, canada goose outlet, hollister, canada goose outlet, ugg, ugg pas cher, karen millen uk, nike air max, pandora jewelry, pandora jewelry, hollister, ugg,uggs,uggs canada, pandora charms

This Could Be Me At Your Next Event

This Could Be Me At Your Next Event
Author And Public Speaker

NEED A SPEAKER FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT?

Do you have an upcoming gardening, church, or women's event planned and need a speaker? Contact me. I can speak on various topics such as:

1. Detangling Ancient Mythology From Christianity
2. The Female Presence In The History Of Christianity
3. Superstitions and Gardening In The 21st Century
4. The Politics Of Prayer: The Bible Speaks
5. African American Geneaology: Pride From The Grave


Contact me at rizerfall@yahoo.com for booking arrangements

Book Reviews

I review for BookSneeze