LEADING BY EXAMPLE

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

Let me share an experience here. At a Culture Department meeting, a man got up to share his experience. The year before, he was diagnosed with cancer. Terminal cancer. After many years of practice, this diagnosis caused him to lose all hope. He lost such hope, that he shut everyone out of his life. He went to bed, waiting to die. Fortunately for him, a gutsy WD chapter leader showed up. She made such a racket, he had to open the door. She barged on in, and started talking to him. She convinced him to chant with her. He hadn’t chanted in weeks. She made him sit front and center; she sat in back of him. Failure was not an option for her. They didn’t chant very long; maybe 30 minutes. While they were chanting, he literally got hot inside. He felt heat enter his body from his back. All this physical stuff started happening. When they got done, his will to fight for his life was re-awakened. He went to see the doctor. It was a very bleak environment. He went in and said, “I want to thank you for everything you are going to do to try to save my life. Even if you don’t succeed, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.” 

The doctor was so shocked. He talked to him for a full hour, even though he had many other appointments waiting. They started a full course of treatment. Ultimately, this man was diagnosed as cancer-free. Through his life and example, we see how this woman’s ichinen woke him up. She poured her life into it. She didn’t go there with the attitude of, “I’m here to encourage you, but what you do is up to you.” 

Whether it’s us personally suffering in relationships, or with members, I really feel that in 1996 Matilda and I received guidance to change any relationship problem we’ve ever had in our life. Vice President Hasagawa shared that this was guidance President Toda had given President Ikeda. He was suffering from watching leaders hurt the members. It’s guidance for any situation. 

“Every pain, every hurt on account of another human being, engrave it in your heart. Never forget; never do it to another human being.” 

People teach us through negative example of how not to be, as powerfully as how to be. Some people’s mission is to teach through negative example. Our problem is that we separate from them; we don’t get it that they are a teaching us how to be better. Or, do we turn around and do the same thing? 

The reason we’re there, experiencing that problem, is because it is our mission to find the solution. The solution is never, ever, ever a matter of waiting for the other person to change. If we do, we miss our own opportunity to do human revolution.

Source: By Linda Johnson, SGI-USA WD Leader