Thursday, February 13, 2025

White-Washed Leaders

Every Southern-born girl

(whose family reunions included collards, catfish, and cobblers)

carries the secrets of good fried chicken in her gizzard.


The wizardry requires egg whites 

(and only egg whites)

to gain crisp bites

and approval from a crowd. 


Include the yolks and you might be deemed

city folk

or at least a youngin.’

Tongue-in-cheek ‘perfection’

Of soft batter and sad hearts. 


Smiling at the sizzle

I find my mind tickled by thoughts

of leadership and knowledge

of leadership and wisdom. 

While knowledge can puff up from 

Within,

Wisdom that perfects is found

Without.


The secret of fried chicken lies

in the absence of the fatty yolk.

In the knowing that

excess fat

will not allow for the oil’s 

crisp and crackle.

How often have we met a leader

whose inner fat

of self-righteous information

resisted and ruined,

 leaving a bad taste and sad hearts.

We must start to find a new way.


No longer must leaders lead

because they know it all within–

Egg-washed in yolky sin

Of arrogance. 


No. 


Instead we must follow those bathed in whites-washed wonder

who seek all the riches of His anointing oil

from without

not doubting that the sufficiency is from Him. 

He makes us a Christ-like fragrance, 

The radiance of His glory,

Leaving good news and glad hearts. 







No comments: