Are you willing to do what you must, when you know it is right? Being a loner isn’t always easy, and standing alone for what you believe is often even harder. One of my favorite characters in the Prequel Trilogy is Qui-gon Jinn. In spite of the fact that he is part of the Jedi order, it quickly becomes apparent that he has his own way of doing things. This often puts him at odds with his Jedi brothers, and even others around him. Very quickly in the first movie, we see he blazes his own trail.
In the rescue of Naboo’s queen, he crosses paths with an amazing young man. The more he interacts with young Anakin, the more he realizes how special this boy is. After gambling for his freedom, he whisks young Skywalker from his home to the heart of the Republic – Coruscant.
While reporting to the counsel, he tells the masters of his extraordinary find, and asks that the boy be tested and trained. A boy he believes to be the Chosen One. Despite the doubts of Obi-wan, Qui-gon knows this boy must become a Jedi. As they talk, Obi-wan pleads with him not to defy the counsel “yet again.” Qui-gon simply replies, “I shall do what I must.”
As Qui-gon meets with the counsel following Anakin’s testing, he is informed that the boy will not be trained. Master Qui-gon is stunned – How could they not train him? Couldn’t they see his potential – couldn’t they see he was the chosen one?
One of the reason I like Qui-gon, is simply, that he is his own person. He refuses to “go with the flow” or think like everyone else. He knows what he believes, and he is not afraid to take a stand. In the last post, we looked at how special each person is, and how important it is for each child – each person – to see his or herself as unique. With this, though, is the importance of knowing what you believe, and standing for it even when you must stand alone.
Working with students every day, I see what a struggle it is for people to stand up and fight for what they believe, especially when they are the only ones doing it. This is a hard thing even for adults. No one likes to be the odd man out, and not very many people enjoy being the only one defending an idea.
For Qui-gon, this was not an issue. He knew what he believed, and he stood for it. But where did this strength, this conviction come from? It came from knowing who he was. It came from his character. Qui-gon had spent years training and learning as a Jedi. He had also had many experiences that had molded and formed him. Through all of this, who he was had been formed, and his character had been developed.
This character – this inner strength – gave him the foundation and direction for what he did. It gave him a basis from which to stand, and a starting point for who he was and what he believed. In this came the courage to stand for something he clearly believed in.
This is something we need to help children learn and practice. Through teaching, instruction, and life experiences, we need to help them find their place, but more importantly, we need to help them know and discover what they believe. Alexander Hamilton famously said, “Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.” I see people every day who have no idea who they are, and what they stand for. Because of this, they fall for almost anything.
When I take time to share with my children, take time to teach them the important lessons of life, I am building character. When that character is presented with the circumstances of life, if I take the time to walk with them through it, I am building in them the thoughts and foundations that will help guide them through life – just as Qui-gon had done with Obi-wan, and hoped to do with Anakin. With the love, acceptance, and direction they find in these times, they have the strength to face the tough choices ahead of them.
Life is hard. Sometimes, no one will stand with you. At times, it will be difficult. But if it is important, our children must be willing to stand for it – to do that, they need to see us willing to do the same. Our young ones need to know that even when it is hard, if it is important, and if we really believe in it, we must stand. One of our Presidents, Ronald Reagan, once said, “A leader, once convinced a particular course of action is the right one, must have the determination to stick with it and be undaunted when the going gets rough.”
Standing up for your belief – for what you feel is right – is something each child needs to see. Sadly, there are often few examples in our world today. Our children need to see us doing this, even when it is tough.
One thing I like about this story in Episode I, is that Obi-wan, so moved by his master’s conviction, as a dying promise, commits to train this “chosen one”. He was so moved by his master’s conviction, he had to step up, and follow. When people have the courage to “blaze the trail”, and stand for their beliefs, this is often the result. Our young padawans need to know that they, by standing firm, can help change the course, and lead and influence others.
So each of us must ask, what are we doing? Are we standing firm when we truly believe a course of action is right? Are we helping those little ones in our life, find their voice? Their foundation? Their character? Their beliefs? Are we helping them find the strength to stand? Are we doing what we must?
This is hard to do in life. As you think about this, consider how you have accomplished this in your own life? How are you helping those around you do the same? What experiences have your children had with this, and how have you nurtured this character in their life? When we consider this, and answer these questions, it will aid us in helping the children surrounding us grappling with this same issue. Each day, we have this opportunity. Are we taking it, and are we doing what we must?
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