Ahhhh yes…. Devon Miles. Nick Cannon’s character in the movie “Drumline”. I’m guessing many of you have seen the movie but for those of you who have not, I’ll quickly summarize it.

Devon is a drummer from Harlem who is recruited to join Atlanta A&T’s drumline. He was a talented drummer at his high school and enters college with the anticipation of being a “star” in their band.  Long story short, the movie primarily focuses on him finding his place within the line.

On a side note, I want to use this post to clarify, being in an actual drumline is nothing like the movie depicts it to be.

1. We don’t challenge each other by dancing and swinging sticks around.
2. We don’t refer to ourselves as the heartbeat of the band. And…
3. We don’t sing our parts in the rain.

But back to the actual point of my post, I think Devon has traits that we can relate to and the plot-line has some good things we can learn from.

Before Devon even arrives at campus, he has a sense of entitlement to leadership. He knows nothing about how things are run, anyone within the line, or even how well he drums in comparison to those around him.  This forms a power struggle within the drumline between Devon and the current captain Sean before he is even officially a member of the band.

One of the defining moments, is when Sean goes down the line playing on each of their drums and Devon outplays him. Devon smirks as he tries to demonstrate his superiority to Sean. Then the band director, Dr. Lee, steps in and has Devon add simple steps forward while playing. He can’t do it and Dr. Lee shows Devon that he isn’t everything he thinks he is. “You must learn to follow before you can lead.” he says.

Deep advice for a movie that’s made up of drumming, a cheesy love story, and…..  uh yeah, that’s it.

I know in the past I’ve thought highly of my own abilities like Devon. I’ve thought that I could do things better if I were in charge or just given an opportunity to lead.

Ever joined a group and quickly jumped to the conclusion that you know it better than those who are there, or could lead better? Have you ever let your own pride get in the way of respecting leaders and your authority? Are you a Devon Miles?

It is important for us to submit to our leaders. If we are looking to be humble leaders in the future, the first step comes with being humble followers. If you can not submit yourself to those above you, how do you think you will be able to earn the respect of your followers in the future?

I don’t want to make this a “one-size-fits-all” type of advice because personal judgement is needed in scenarios as well. The last thing I want you to do is do illegal activities because someone told you to, and then you say, “Well Ben told me I should always listen to leaders.”

This is more of a heart issue, not a command to action. Lies are fed to us to resist authority and by individuals all the time. We’re told it’s all about “numero uno” and that’s just not true.

And the best way to work on that heart issue is to evaluate if you are being a Devon Miles in your relationship with God. Full submission to leaders here comes as a result of letting God take the wheel and lead your life.

“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
                                                                                         -Hebrews 12:17

On Memorial Day weekend, I was playing a dice game, called Dinger, with my extended family. We were sitting around the table taking turns trying to get to the winning score of 10,000 points. On each roll, you can take what you’ve accumulated or you can roll again with the risk of losing everything you’ve earned on that turn.

Nothing was at stake except bragging rights for literally 30 seconds before the next game started. But it was fun, and competitive, nonetheless.

Many at the table were conservative and afraid to risk the 1000 or so points they had rolled for the chance to double or quadruple that amount. They liked the safe feeling of a comfortable amount of points and more often than not, packed up the dice and settled for the small amount. My uncle Dave took a different approach, following his simple strategy, “Go big or go home!”

He said, “Who is going to remember the game when someone won by taking 500 points every round? No one. They will remember the game that is won by the crazy player rolling for the huge win.”

He’s right. Think about the most memorable moments in your life… Were they not when you either pushed yourself to do something out of the ordinary or beyond your comfort zone? Or maybe, they were simply events that allowed you to go against the grain of the repetitive and safe everyday life. That time you gave a helping hand when no one else would or serving those in need and then getting to see the smile that is brought to their face.

Let’s assume those events make up 1% of our lives. How do you live with the remaining 99%?

-Are you safe and conservative, afraid to go after that dream that seems to be a little risky?

-Timid to pursue a passion that could bring real change to the world because of the possibility of failure?

-Slow to take that extra step out of your way to check in on a friend or help a stranger out?

I know I’ve been hesitant. I miss opportunities to be there for friends. I don’t always go out of my way to help out a stranger. As far as career decisions, I wanted to go to college and major in engineering because I was pretty confident it would provide a comfortable lifestyle. I could work hard for a little bit, and then I would be able to rest on that short effort; like the 1000 point roll. I didn’t want to risk anything?

But what am I risking bygiving my energy, time, strengths, and possessions to help others? Nothing. There’s nothing to lose but everything to gain. Now I wonder how I can continue to roll the dice. How can I go forward in life and make a difference not for myself, but for those around me? No matter where we are at, everyday, there is a way to roll those dice again; a way to take a step of faith to improve life for someone else.

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
                                                                                      -Philippians 2:3

“With great power comes great responsibility.” This may be one of the most cliché quotes due to its excessive overuse, but it remains to be a true statement.

Lately, I’ve been considering what God is calling us to do in this life and have changed Uncle Ben’s quote around slightly. “With great blessings comes great responsibility.” We live in a culture that is thriving and blessed compared to billions of others here on earth when it comes to possessions and opportunities.

How are we to use these gifts? I’ve been blessed to have a college education. I have a family that is pretty much completely healthy. I do not have to worry about having food or water on the table. I have a roof over my head every night. And, I’ve only worked and earned money for not even 4 summers so far. Not even a full year of work when you add it up, and yet I’ve been blessed, undeservingly so, with all of these luxuries…. Hmmmmmm…

There are people in this world without many of things and yet day-to-day, we (including myself) often take them for granted. So what are we called to do? With great blessings, we are called to bless others.

Through our education, energy, time, and even money, we have an immense opportunity to take on the needs of the world. And with every opportunity, it takes a leader to step up and make it a reality.

My hope is to tackle the issue of defining what a leader in this world should look like. I honestly believe that the best leaders are those who humble themselves and serve others first and foremost. After all, the greatest leader to ever walk this earth was humble enough to die on a cross for us and it was through this selfless act that He became the definition of the perfect leader.