Independence Day: Leaders Declare Their Values Through Action

Does it take the focus and courage of a Navy Seal to be a great leader? Some leaders rise to greatness through heroic acts. I think of freedom fighters like Scotsman William Wallace, racial and cultural fighters like Nelson Mandela, and faith-based service leaders like Franklin Graham with Samaritan’s Purse. The opposition they faced in their eras and regions proved extremely daunting, yet through passion and fortitude their legacy lives on. Do you have what it takes to lead like them?

I turn our attention to the founders of our American republic. What men of courage, grit, and conviction! When the initial battles in the American Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain. But one year later, many more colonists had come to favor independence. On June 7, 1776, during the meeting of the Continental Congress, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies’ independence. Full stop. Do you realize the implications of this proposal?

To break from the rule of King George in England would bring a mighty retaliation from the world’s great superpower of the time. The delegates who would sign their names on the Declaration of Independence were committing treason, effectively signing their death warrants. Yet, they followed their firm convictions and together chose a singular path, united in one purpose—to establish self-governance as a new nation.

On July 4th, 1776, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence. Although the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, those in attendance formally adopted “The 4th of July” as the birth of American independence.

Think for a moment from the Signers’ perspective as they each held the quill and prepared to dip it in ink to sign the Declaration. In essence, they were saying, “I’m taking a stand on behalf of my family, my town, and my colony. Once I sign this, there is no turning back. I am prepared to forge a new path, one that will bring intense resistance from unjust oppression and tyranny, but inaction is more detrimental to our future than this path.” And so, they each signed—56 of them.

Have you as a leader been forced to make a critical decision that would not only impact your life, but the lives of those you serve? If not, the time will surely come for you. Your mental fortitude will be tested. The team that you’ve surrounded yourself with will face pressure to deviate. Pressures will surround you from all sides. Yet will you hold to your conviction?

Inaction is a choice—sometimes a ruinous one. So, surround yourself with wise counsel. Gather the best information available. Forecast scenarios. Choose the best path…and then sign. While the fate of the nation is not on your shoulders, it is likely that the lives of others will absolutely be affected by your decision(s). Right or wrong, own the decision and stick with it. Be a person of courage and faith, and keep walking your path. Those after you will thank you for your courageous step.

Delegate John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail about July 2, 1776: This day “will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival” and that the celebration should include “Pomp and Parade…Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.” Let’s do just that!

Let us celebrate our National Independence Day—one born out of courageous decisions and subsequent courageous actions for the good of all whom the Signers represented and served. May we mirror their strong leadership today and each of our tomorrows!