The Tar Heel Knight

Greetings from the mountains of North Carolina.
 
Frequently, when I attend Adoration, words or phrases will come to me that I will reflect on after I return home.  This is such a time.
 
“The head has a heart.”  Well, I don’t think this had anything to do with a craving for shrimp, the one living creature whose heart resides in its head.  But it does make sense when thinking about the qualities of a good servant leader.  You have to use your head to communicate effectively and to make sure sound decisions are being made when it comes to content being presented and the finances of the organization.  As a servant leader in the Knights of Columbus, the head must have a heart, however.  It can’t all be about an intellectual analysis of the bottom line.  It is about caring about the people you are serving, and being available to them.  It is weighing prudence with charity.  Every idea you have and may want to implement must have a heart to it – how will it impact those you serve and those they serve?  Does it enhance or detract from our charitable mission?  Are you prepared to respond to questions and concerns with compassion and understanding?
 
“Death is alive.”  One could combine these two phrases and think I’m preparing for a zombie shrimp apocalypse.  But, seriously, I take it to be a reference to a willingness to die to yourself to be truly alive.  In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he states “yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God…” (Galatians 2:20).  In John’s Gospel, we are told “…unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (John 12:24).  So, once again, we are speaking to the qualities of a good servant leader, aren’t we?  Are you willing to die to your own wants and desires, to be a servant leader?  Are you willing to put aside your leisure time to produce much fruit?  Are you willing to put Jesus first and yourself second?
 
OK…so I’m talking a lot about servant leaders.  Why am I doing that?  Because it’s that time again, where we need good servant leaders to step up as we will be electing our new State Warden in May.  Our new State Warden will be making a 12-year commitment to serving the nearly 20,000 brothers all over the state of North Carolina.  Do you have the heart of a servant?  Are you willing to put yourself second?  Are you able to weigh prudence with charity?  Do these questions describe the type of leadership you’ve exhibited in leadership roles in your council, assembly, and district?  Do you have passion and ideas that you think will benefit your brothers all across the state?  Are you willing to put your ego aside to collaborate and brainstorm with others to come up with the best solutions for many?  Are you looking to grow in your relationship with Jesus?  Then, PLEASE reach out to me (stateadvocate@kofcnc.org) and I will give you an invitation to an informational Zoom meeting on Monday, November 10, at 8:00 PM.  We can discuss realistic expectations that accompany this ministry, as well as the satisfaction that comes with making a difference, the type of joy you cannot receive from worldly pursuits.
 
Who are we not looking for?  If your motivation for running is to wear a red jacket or sit on a dais, or feel important, please don’t consider it – there are many other leadership positions where you can achieve those goals – this is not one of those positions.
 
“Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves…” (Philippians 2:3)
 
Vivat Jesus!