Find your passion then you can be a leader
“Hi Allen, I want to be a leader but what does it take?” Isaac asked me in a discussion forum. This is one of the most common questions I have received over time? The answers are many but let me talk about passion. Martin Luther King once said “If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live” that is what makes a leader, passion! So what is passion?
In simpler terms, it’s a yearning that you strongly desire to see in others and yourself. Our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross is the most vivid example of passion, if you have watched the passion of Christ; you can tell leadership with passion. Our Lord while praying for his journey to Golgotha cried tears of blood and he accepted the cross without a fuss rather in humble submission while seeing you and me.
Passion is not developed in a vacuum rather in something we crave for. This becomes our dream. Because of this, a person will be driven to create change in the status quo and standards. Some will seek to make humanity better while others will seek to destroy it.
For the former, we have vivid examples of passion seen in people like Nelson Mandela advocating for equal rights of every South African at a cost of 27years in Prison or Mother Theresa giving away her comfort to advocate for the poor, vulnerable, and the destitute. Saul is another vivid example who sought to exterminate all Christians but his change of heart saw a rebirth of a leader passionate about winning souls to Christ. Think also of people in your community who have thrown out their comfort just to give hope to the lost, not for money, neither as an obligation nor a duty but as a calling.
Every leader must have something they long to see, touch, feel, and act upon with ‘tears of blood. This is inherent but each of us must find something we can die for, something that will drive our stamina beyond human self. Passion is the only thing that will hold you when everything else makes no sense when you see that cross before you and you still have to carry it. Passion will be your fallback when you have to pay for what you believe in. There is a cost attached to everything including our leadership role.
We are in a generation yearning for men and women who will passionately follow their hearts and make a difference in our time. While doing my post-graduate studies, I came across the power of passion through the executive director Dr. Jean Chamberlain. This great leader became a mother to many of us and because of her passion for safe motherhood together with other icons in this field Professor Mirembe, Dr. Pius Okong and others went ahead to create a campaign of ensuring that ‘no mother or child should die due to pregnancy-related complications”. This is seen through the many initiatives done including Save the Mothers Program at Uganda Christian University in which I participated.
Jeremiah wrote about passion “Then I said I will not make mention of him, nor speak anymore of his Name but his word was in my heart like a burning fire, shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back and I could not” Jeremiah 20:9. Such a powerful conclusion can only be attainable through passion.
This means all of us when we find that which makes the heartburn that which we cannot hold to ourselves rather we are willing to make others partake of it. Nehemiah as a king’s cupbearer became passionate about rebuilding the broken walls of Jerusalem that he became sad and distressed. Leaders find a need, become passionate about it, and do not feel contented with the status until they act. Every problem and challenge is an opportunity for leaders to rise up to stand up and act. Africa is in dire need of leaders will you avail yourself. Then find your passion.
Allen. K.Baguma
