The founder and Presiding Bishop of the Lighthouse Chapel International, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills has urged leaders to be silent when issues arise as that is the hallmark of a wise leader.
According to him, he who 'refrains his lips' is wise which makes silence a master key and a powerful weapon that allows one to truly hide, flourish and prosper.
The Bishop likened the lives of leaders to snakes saying if they want to survive in this world, then they must learn from snakes as they are masters in hiding.
“A striped snake, for example, may look quite noticeable on the pavement but almost disappear when placed on the forest floor where it lives. These masters of hiding blend with their environment until you do not notice them anymore. These characteristics give snakes the ability to hide and flourish. They prosper mainly because they are hidden from the view of others. While snakes are hiding, they are flourishing, prospering and multiplying".
"A huge viper was recently discovered on one of our building sites. When I saw pictures of this viper, I had goose bumps all over me. It was so large and so frightening and I knew that this snake should be nowhere else but in a zoo".
"Where are dangerous animals kept? They are either out in the wild or confined to a zoo. But this dangerous viper had been living near human beings and flourishing. It had probably gotten married and had several children over the years. How was it able to hide and flourish? Through the master key of silence! Silence is a powerful weapon that allows you to truly hide, flourish and prosper. … he that refraineth his lips is wise”, he quoted.
His comments follow Dr. Mensa Otabil’s Sunday sermon when he reacted to public criticisms following the collapse of Capital Bank.
Dr. Otabil while delivering a sermon over the weekend took on some individuals he said had taken advantage of his misfortune to hurl insults at him due to central bank’s recent takeover of Capital Bank of which ICGC owns 3% interest.
According to him, people who look like 'insult'are now insulting him. “Oh yes, I’ve had some reality this week. You know when people who have no right to insult you, insult you; that is reality. You look at the person insulting you and the person, sometimes, himself looks like an insult. But out of the abundance of his insult, he is insulting you, so that is reality. Reality is when it is hitting, when all kinds of stuff is hitting, I don’t want to go too much into that …” he said.
Bishop Dag Heward-Mills in his statement also indicated that snakes are wise and prosper more than any other wild animal because they choose to hide.
He cited an example of a lion which makes people aware of its existence in an area because of the noise it makes but hardly does anyone hear the noise of a snake because it chooses to live in silence, rarely disturbing anyone.
He, therefore, advised leaders to let their words be few by not talking much and responding to everything. He asserted that a leader’s quietness and silence will cause him to command the respect of outsiders which will make him be valued.
Furthermore, Dag Heward-Mills stated that hiding and flourishing will protect leaders from premature exposure in the ministry.
He said he is aware some pastors love to advertise and show their faces to the world which is good but a certain level of exposure is not necessary all the time because it endangers their life and ministry when they come out loud instead of being silent.
He, therefore, urged all leaders especially pastors to remember that snakes are masters at hiding and in hiding, they flourish so they must be like a snake.
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Source: ghanaweb.com
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@ George, thank you very much. Now everyone will see how we can tell lies and get away with it. This time, they will not get away with it. I always say, our journalists are lazy
This is not a statement from Bishop Dag. He's preached this message long ago. He currently is in Zambia having crusades in towns and villages. Please don't play mischief with his teaching. It's better to find something else to do than to try to create an unsuccessful wedge between the pastors.
This story is a pure lie and misrepresented. It's a curse to the writer. God have mercy on him. Bishop Dag didn't make this comments on Dr Otabil recent case. Actually Bishop Dag has been in Zambia doing crusades. This is deception and a curse to the writer twisting excepts of His book publish to seem like it's Bishop Dag recent comments. GOD HAVE MERCY ON YOU. PEACE FM.
Please, this writer should leave Bishop Dag Heward-Mills out of this, You quoted from a book he wrote,that is in circulation before this episode. So please leave him out of this.
It is true the Bible says we should be wise as serpents and silence makes a person appear wise.In this particular situation silence would have make Otabil appear wise. The question is if you appear wuae does it mean you are wise? I am glad what appears to be gold is being exposed as not being gold but deception I am glad those who are flourishing have told everybody they are snakea. The sermon actually exposes how many are beingned deceived. They are snakes so those who don't know now do.
So in the mist of rottenness the leader should be quiet and hide so that he/she will flourish and prosper. This is selfishness! A great leader never hides!! Most people will like to poke Otabil now and link him to whatever but the world certainly need leaders who are visible and people driven!!!
Otabil has been hitting former Prez hard; the former Prez kept quiet all along.
This a perfect advice in every situation, especially when the odds are against you. When Otabil responded, the first thing that came to my mind was he should have kept quite and not responded at all. Great advice.
i listened to the sermon. I saw that Otabil rather encouraged his congregation with his own example. The title of the sermon was 'PEACE' and he handled it well. I trust that will end there
a very good advice not just for pastor Otabil but all of us. it demonstrates wisdom.