Of Thatcher, leadership and grace

The death in the past week and today's funeral of Lady Thatcher has brought numerous reactions from all ends of the spectrum of politics, from the ordinary person in the street of the United Kingdom, as well as globally from prominent world leaders of the past and present.
As a '66 baby, I grew up in Thatcher's time in Politics as PM, so I believe I, like many others of this era, am qualified to make some small comment - even if it's subjective nonsense! I make these comments not showing any political colours - I cannot say growing up in Thatcher's Britain was easy, but our nation needed leadership and cometh the hour cometh the leader. And without a doubt she was a leader who had an enormous effect upon our country, and this in and of itself brings different reactions.

For the record, Churchill was our WW2 champion - given a state funeral, and rightly so! Cometh the hour, cometh the man! But Churchill was useless as a peace time PM and people disliked him for it and rapidly voted him out! Never let us forget that people allow themselves to go forward for public office - no easy ride or call. They do so to serve our nation - no easy task - would you like to do that? And are mandated by the people in vote - nb here, we get what we vote for! And some but not all reach the highest office in the land to serve our country - there are many good Politicians, but to be 'First Lord of the Treasury' is the big one! Big demand and normally a person of extreme ability where hard work, pressure, little rest - and yes pressure on the family too. That in and of itself is worthy of our thanks - to any PM of any colour. And I have no problem with any former PM, whether Blair or Brown or Cameron receiving such a funeral - whatever my opinions. Or will there be objectors at Blair's funeral over the Iraq war? If the nation wants no statesmen or stateswomen in the future, then don't bother honouring them! But in truth, all are worthy of our honour and thanks. And all were and are human beings who served to the best of their abilities, even if some decisions were wrong or badly handled.

But I have been unsettled and dismayed at some of the quite offensive reactions from some leaders of today, as well as by people celebrating, having parties, supporting "wicked witch" singles, turning their backs, blogging or social networking quite unnecessarily rude comments and statements. These are not the values of our British society, and whilst yes, there is a democratic right and freedom to express opinion, what is it that makes us feel we have a right to degenerate and be rude at someone's death? This is the direct opposite of the Christian fruit of grace and mercy, and against the principles and values of our country.

When someone dies we are always filled with numerous emotions, but with a death comes a funeral, and with a death comes grieving relatives - and Margaret Thatcher was a mother, a husband, a grandmother and a human being. In otherwords people are involved.

I have learnt as a Pastor over the years, that whenever a death and funeral arrives, my task is to commend someone into the hands of a loving and merciful God, and to pray and support their family and relatives. Actually I think that is the task of us all! Whatever we may feel.

But it is never appropriate to be rude, judgemental and offensive at these times. There will come a time when history - either in the micro-picture of family discussion or reflection or the national archives of history, which will be the appropriate judge of all of our lives in this world, and spiritually as the scriptures tell us - God is the spiritual and ultimate judge of our lives. And note that this is God's task and his alone! I do find many people seem to want to do God's job of judgement for him. But let not one of us ever think we are any more superior than another, let alone a stateswoman, in terms of our own track records and lives.

And this got me thinking about Leadership and Margaret Thatcher. One of the over-riding images I have of her is that she was a Leader. And Leaders often get a bad press. It comes with the territory mind you. It was said to me "if you stick your head out, expect to get it cut off!" I don't think thats a french revolution comment by the way!
But the one central main task of being a leader is to lead. There are followers - yes, and an awful lot of them, but perhaps in our political world today - not many leaders. Perhaps not of her calibre anyway. Ask any leader and they would more than happily give up sometimes and simply be a follower. Being a follower is easy! But being a Leader is a difficult and lonely task because as much as it's absolutely right to consult, consider and research, reflect, ask for opinion and be as collective as possible, sometimes leadership requires you and you alone to make a final decision. When you look for someone else to make this with you or for you, often many have deserted to the hills or the burrows! Leadership is always accountable, but often it is painful and lonely. As much as the leader - himself or herself requires someone else to make the decision, the central task of leadership is to lead. Even if its uncomfortable and sometimes unpopular.

Are leaders born or made? Good question! Probably both and probably never only born and never only made. In otherwords good leaders learn from their mistakes and from growing in life.
Yes we may want to make sweeping judements of leaders. Some of these may well be cheap and unworthy - why? Because we are not them. And we simply don't know the whole picture. We weren't there and were not privy to all of the information - some confidential, some secret, some only for the eyes and ears of leaders. Quick to judge? Do so and it might well be unfair and unworthy because we are not them, and we are not in their shoes. Judge without the full facts? Many of us do and jump to the wrong conclusions. And that is unfair. But the nature of leadership is sometimes, often, that things are confidential, come what may. Leadership requires gifts that not all have. Thats why some are not leaders, but followers. It's so much easier being a follower - no responsibilities! But at the end of the day, leaders must lead. And leaders must pay the cost of leading - often a high cost, of being misunderstood. The Bible has much to say on this - leaders will be judged far more than others.

So let us let history be the final mortal judge, and God the final spiritual judge. But let none of us be offensive. Yes if there is evil present - as in the case of Hitler or others, then we have a right to speak out and if necessary to take up weapons, but for our Prime Ministers let us give thanks to them for their service, honour their memory and pray for their grieving families. And let us pray and work for a country that has the moral backbone to the know the difference between right and wrong, good and evil and to behave properly. And let us pray for leaders everywhere.