Today has two interesting events on the calendar that are not intentionally connected, even though their emphasis is the same topic: leadership. First of all, this is National Leadership Day, a day to recognize leaders and leadership positions. Without leaders, organizations would flounder. A head is needed for any organism, and this applies to any organization.
If you grumble and say, “It must be nice at the top,” remember two axioms that have been discovered by those in leadership:
- It’s tough at the top and
- It’s lonely at the top.
Today also marks a historical event that caused one leader to go rogue. It all happened on this day in 1777. The Continental Congress had convened with the purpose of promoting some officers. Thomas Mifflin, Arthur St. Clair, William Alexander, Lord Stirling, Adam Stephen and Benjamin Lincoln were all promoted to the rank of Major General. The Major General rank is above a Brigadier General. And one Brigadier General was left out of the rounds of promotion: Benedict Arnold.
A promotion to Major General was a step up from Brigadier General. Those who received promotions jumped over several ranks to achieve Major General status. For instance, Arthur St. Clair was a Lieutenant when promoted to Major General.
To be left in the dust of promotions while others leaped over him caused Arnold a great deal of discouragement and disappointment. When Arnold tried to resign, General George Washington encouraged him to stay and suggested that the Congress merely made a mistake. Washington personally appealed to the Continental Congress on Arnold’s behalf, only to find that this wasn’t a mistake. For whatever reason, Congress was not promoting Arnold.
Feeling betrayed, Arnold submitted his resignation but withdrew it once again at Washington’s request. Washington should have let Arnold leave because Arnold was quickly becoming angry and bitter. Finally, Arnold snapped and offered the British the control of West Point. The plan eventually failed but it left Arnold with the lasting legacy of a traitor.
Perhaps Congress saw something in this leader that wasn’t worth recognizing with a promotion.
It can be hard to watch others around us advance, especially when they leapfrog over you. 
Jealousy can overtake us and settle into our souls, causing us to seethe in a stew of bitterness. Before long, our attitudes can change and while we may not become traitors like Benedict Arnold, our work ethic becomes less than what it ought to be. We just show up to work, put in our time, give the cold shoulder to those around us, and go home. Since this is the result of our previous efforts, why bother?
We have to remind ourselves of a couple of important truths. First, Jesus said in Matthew 20:26-28, “But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; (27) And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: (28) Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” All true leaders are servants. They aren’t leading to get recognition or promotion.
Second, Psalms 75:6-7 says, “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. (7) But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” I don’t know why God promotes or demotes an individual. That’s way above my pay grade! I just have to acknowledge that it is His choice.
Finally, it would do us well to remember that earthly promotions do not carry over to eternity. In Heaven, we will not be know as Colonel, General, Doctor, Chief, or Chairman. Instead, we should long for a different title. Matthew 25:23 says, “… Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
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