The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1959-04-10

out. He did not
fail, however, for -
lack Of the stuff Or. Foreman
Of which success can be made. Next
weeks study concerns his failure,
this weeks thought is given to
what could have been his success.
He held good hand, we may saw,
but he played it badly.
Head and Shoulders
Look over the cards he held.
First, he had what everyone no.
tced the first moment they looked
at him: he stood out in any crowd
head and shoulders above the rest.
He would have sat tall in the saddle
tonly no one around there rode
horseback. he stood tall on the
ground. He was strong enough to
butcher and cut up-a yoke of oxen
by himself, and in a fight he had
proved himself lion. Men have
been successes in life without ex-
traordlnary strength, but for a
leader of men, a store of extra
power and energy is important
Some investigator found that ex-
ecutlves in business are on an
average. taller and heavier than
the men lower down the ladder.
The executive needs the extra
power for the extra drive. But of
course a giant can be a fool. You
cannot predict how much Of
leader a man viii be merely by
measuring the distance from his
creW-cut to his heels.
When they nodded him, the
lnolder broke the mold it IS said
Of some people It could have been
said Of Saul. He was not only head
and shoulders taller than most, he
was a head smarter than most.
Good brains, originality - always
high cards in the game of life.
Some people with original minds
are quiet, mousy- and un-noticed.
If to originality there are added
force of character. quick habit
Of decision. fortnight approach
to all problems - then you have
the makings Of great leader Now
Saul started out as such a man.
We read Of him that a foreign
army was besieging the city Of
Jabesh, and threatened to make a
treaty" by putting out the right
eye Of every man in the town All
Israel heard about it, and there
was loud waiting in the land. But
when the news came to Saul he
did not weep tear. He took yoke
of oxen, cut them up with his own
hands, sent pieces around to every
tribe. with the message: Be at
Jabesh, ready to fight. or have your
oxen made into soup-meat like
this" It may have been rough, but
it got results.
A Modest Patriot
Above all, the Isralites were
looking for a man who loved his
country, the whole land and people
of Israel Saul by his action at
Gilead had proved himself such a
person. He not only would make
a. sacrifice for his country's sake,
he had the ability to inspire others
also. He had shown there too that
he placed the interests of the tribes
as a whole above the interests Of
any one tribe or city: and that con-
verselv the fate of any one city
was the concern of all. Our coun-
try could use more patriots Of this
stripe today. men who like George
Washington can see beyond the
limits OF their own state and live
as citizens of the American Union.
We need men who will not be in
different to the troubles of other
parts Of our land, who realize that
the tragedy or the glory Of one city
is the tragedy or the glory of all.
We don't need men who shout
and brag about how much they
love their country. Senators Snort
and Phogbound are always with
us; but politics with them Is a way
Of making money without too
much work Patriotism is nothing
to be shouted about; it is a quality
that shines best in a modest life.
Saul at the beginning was almost
too self-effacing. The office had to
seek him, and that was good. He
was king only because the people
demanded him and God through
the prophet destined him.
BASED on outlines copyrighted by
the pi~ision IF Christisn Education,
National Council Of the Churches -
Christ in the Z. s A. Released by
Community Press Service.)