Nelson Mandela won South Africa’s presidential election in 1994 after more than four decades of opposing racial segregation in his homeland. Mandela had spent 27 of those years in jail on account of his activism. After becoming President, Mandela had a prime opportunity to exact revenge on the political party that had formerly imprisoned him. Yet instead of settling scores or enjoying the spoils of victory, Mandela pursued policies of reconciliation.
As a symbolic gesture of his intentions to unify the nation, Mandela created a new national anthem. The anthem combined two tunes: Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, the favorite hymn of the black resistance movement; and Die Stem van Suid-Afrika, the longstanding national song of the apartheid-era government. Today, whenever South Africans sing their country’s anthem, they give voice to Mandela’s legacy of racial harmony.
Legacy Lessons From Nelson Mandela
1) A Legacy Is Built over a Lifetime
Legacies aren’t formed from a single act; they emerge only after a lifetime. Nelson Mandela was motivated by principles of justice, and he has courageously made sacrifices throughout his life on account of those principles. The strength of his legacy comes from the steadiness with which he promoted his beliefs.
2) A Legacy Is Forged Through Adversity
Nelson Mandela commands respect around the world because he endured so much hardship while struggling for a freer South Africa. A leader’s credibility is gained on difficult ground. People follow leaders, not on account of what they know, but based on how much they care, the extent of which is revealed by the storms of life.
3) A Legacy Is Shaped in Pivotal Moments
In some respects, Nelson Mandela’s first year in office was a greater testament to his vision than his 27 years in prison. As Abraham Lincoln once commented, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” Eventually, all leaders encounter key decisions that test the integrity of their values, and the course they take at those critical junctures shapes their legacy.
4) A Legacy Is Transmitted Through Practical Vehicles
Legacies are passed from one generation to another through stories, songs, celebrations, and customs. For example, firework displays on the Fourth of July remind Americans of the political freedoms secured by the Founders of the United States. In a similar manner, South Africa’s national anthem reaffirms that country’s commitment to racial unity, thereby extending Nelson Mandela’s legacy.
Questions For Thought
What legacy would you like to leave to the next generation? How will you pass on that legacy?
John Maxwell grew up in the 1950s in the small Midwestern city of Circleville, Ohio. John's earliest childhood memory is of knowing that he would someday be a pastor. He professed faith in Christ at the age of three, and reaffirmed that commitment when he was 13. At age 17, John began preparing for the ministry. He attended Circleville Bible College, earning his bachelor's degree in 1969. In June of that same year, he married his sweetheart, Margaret, and moved to tiny Hillham, Indiana, where he began his first pastorate.
While serving in his second church, Maxwell began to study the correlation between leadership effectiveness and ministry effectiveness. On July 4, 1976, while preaching at a service commemorating America's bicentennial, John sensed that God was calling him into a ministry to pastors. Within days after that event, pastors began to contact him, asking for his assistance in nurturing their churches. Over the next four years, on an informal basis, John helped scores of fellow pastors. Then, in 1980, he was asked to become Executive Director of Evangelism for the Wesleyan denomination.
Though his time at Wesleyan headquarters was productive, John soon realized that his deeper desire was to help pastors from numerous denominations. He knew that desire would be unfulfilled if he were to stay at denominational headquarters. As a result, in 1981 John accepted the call to return to the pastorate, this time at Skyline Wesleyan Church in the San Diego, California area. But he did so with the church's blessing to pursue his vision. The Skyline congregation allowed him to continue mentoring and assisting pastors even as he led them to new levels.
In 1985, as he continued to equip and encourage other pastors, John took the next crucial step in leadership development. He founded a new company called INJOY and created the INJOY Life Club, featuring a monthly tape for leaders. The fledging operation, established in the corner of a garage, was soon bursting at the seams. The INJOY Life Club tapes were received with great enthusiasm, and the number of subscriptions quickly increased from hundreds to thousands. Simultaneously, the demand for other resources and seminars exploded. Pastors from coast to coast were responding, and their desire for help was even greater than John had anticipated.
As the years passed, INJOY began demanding more and more of John's time. In 1995, he resigned from his position as senior pastor at Skyline following a very fruitful 14-year tenure. The church had tripled in size and its lay ministry involvement had increased ten-fold. Dr. Maxwell is in great demand today as a speaker. Through his bestselling books, audio and video resources, and major conferences, he communicates directly with more than one million people every year. He is frequently asked to speak for organizations such as Promise Keepers and Focus on the Family, but his greatest joy and desire is to help pastors become better leaders.
Because the need for leadership development knows no borders, John established EQUIP, a non-profit organization which trains leaders in urban communities, academic institutions, and within international organizations. EQUIP is also spearheading a movement which has enlisted more than one million pastoral prayer partners who covenant to pray specifically for those who shepherd God's flock.
John continues to seek new opportunities to help churches and church leaders. He knows that one thing is constant: the only hope for the world is salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, who gives life abundantly.