This is good!

In war as in business, good leaders are merchants of hope.

A week after the demoralizing defeat of British and French troops by Germany at Dunkirk in 1940, Prime Minister Winston Churchill made one of the most stirring radio addresses in history. Speaking to the English public, he declared, in no uncertain terms, that the British would not fold. He said, “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”

Historians say that this specific speech provided the morale boost that helped England summon the strength to continue the war effort and ultimately win. Churchill is also quoted as saying that “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.”

Ironically, the same Winston Churchill who was an epitome of optimism during the War struggled with depression. He downed a quarter of a brandy bottle and smoked about 13 cigars each day. He had pigs as pets, and when asked why replied, “Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. At least pigs treat us as equals.” 

People ask me how I maintain my optimism and hope. I answer by telling them the story about an African king and his close friend who was fond of saying “This is good!” about any situation, good or bad.

One day, the king and his friend went out on a hunting expedition. The friend loaded and prepared the guns for the king. He probably did something wrong while readying the guns because, when the king took one and fired, the king’s thumb was blown off.

Examining the situation, the friend remarked as usual, “This is good!” To which the king replied, “No, this is not good!” He had his friend sent to jail after.

About a year later, the king was hunting in a cannibal-infested area. The cannibal captured him and took them to their village. They tied his hands and bound him to a stake to cook. But as they were about to set fire to him and to the wood, the cannibals noticed that the king had a missing thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less than whole. They untied the king and sent him back home.

Along the way, the king remembered the event that had cost him his thumb. He felt remorse for how badly he treated his friend. So he went to visit his friend in jail.

“You were right” he said, “It was good that my thumb was blown off.” He proceeded to tell his friend all that had just happened. “And so I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this.”

“No,” his friend replied, “This is good!”

“What do you mean, ‘This is good’? How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?”

The friend replied, “If I had not been in jail, I would have been with you.”

Do you have a healthy amount of self-esteem? Author Nathaniel Branden says you do if you

• Have a sense of humor

• Are open to new ideas and experiences

• Project an attitude of flexibility and inventiveness

• Preserve harmony and dignity under stress

• Speak and move with ease and spontaneity

• Are comfortable giving and receiving compliments and affection

• Speak honestly about accomplishments and shortcomings.1

Don’t take life too seriously. No one has gotten out of it alive anyway.

Live life to the full, and trust Christ to be your Blessed Hope. It’s the only certainty you and I can have in this life.

(Visit www.franciskong.com or facebook.com/franciskong2 for details on how to receive daily inspirational quotes and thoughts from Francis. His books Only The Real Matters and The Early Bird Catches the Worm But the Second Mouse Gets the Cheese are now available in Amazon Kindle.)