Formerly pastor of the largest church in Australian and now a member of parliament, Gordon Moyes, reflects on a pivotal episode in his life. This is a story from his maiden speech in the New South Wales State Parliament:Right from the earliest days I was challenged by a schoolteacher, a principal. When I had completed some gift of remarkable leadership in the life of the school which the principal did not understand in that particular light, he said to me that I had to make up my mind to either be part of the problem of this society or part of the answer. He indicated that I was not to leave the front of his desk, to which I had been called, until I had given him an answer. That man’s name was W. M. (Bill) Woodfull, who was the captain of the Australian Test cricket team during the “bodyline” series. He was a great leader of men. I remember standing before him in tears as a schoolboy and making the decision that I preferred to be part of the answer than a continuing part of the problem. Consequently, my wife and I, as teenage sweethearts, volunteered immediately and we started to serve in the inner slum areas of Melbourne—in North Melbourne, Kensington and Flemington.
Source: http://www.gordonmoyes.com/2002/10/30/inaugural-speech-to-parliament/
Image: Gordon Moyes.