Richard Littledale's
Views on the News: July 2008

Bowing out?

If you had the choice, and money were no object - how would you 'bow out' from your responsibilities and take your leave of the public eye? Within the last week two different characters have 'taken their leave' in the full glare of publicity. One of them is a symbol of conscience and statesmanship, the other a symbol of innovation and restless creativity. One of them has the satisfaction of knowing that his product runs on 90% of the world's computers, and the other worries that his influence, though huge, has been nowhere near enough.

Last week Bill Gates left his hands-on role at the Microsoft Corporation. He has been phenomenally successful since landing his first contract for computer software at age 17. He is now often acclaimed as the world's richest man, and has led a global technological revolution in computing. His oft-quoted aphorism that 'I can't wait for tomorrow - and I'm doing everything I can to make it happen' certainly seems to have driven him. When it came to taking his leave he did it through a goofy, self-deprecating short movie in which he speculated on how he might spend his retirement. A number of short scenes showed him taking up other careers, with limited success. The message that he was 'just an ordinary guy' seems to have foundered somewhat though. How many ordinary guys could afford to feature the likes of Barrack Obama, Bono, Hilary Clinton, George Clooney and Steven Spielberg in their farewell video? The only comfort in watching this gratingly self-indulgent movie was the hope, however slight, that when he tried to compose his retirement letter his computer might have responded with the irritating prompt 'are you sure you want to retire?'

Whilst Bill Gates' movie was doing the rounds, Nelson Mandela was gearing up for his farewell speech at his 90th birthday concert in Hyde Park. When the moment came, the galaxy of stars stepped aside with something approaching reverence as the tottering figure shakily made his way to the microphone. He expressed his gratitude to those who had come, and to those who had fought and campaigned for his freedom in the past. However, if any were hoping for a reassuring blessing from this elder statesman they didn't get it. 'It is time for other hands to lift the burden now', he said. 'It is in your hands now'. And so he passed the baton on - to the thousands in the park and the hundreds of thousands watching worldwide, to take up the fight against poverty, AIDS and injustice.

'Bowing out', in such a public way, is an art - and both these figures doubtless had it carefully stage-managed. When Jesus came to take his leave, it was done with little fanfare. The audience was a small one, and the location an obscure one. His words held more challenge than comfort, and passed on the commission to his followers to share his teaching and salvation with the ends of the earth. Mind you, a bit like Mr Gates, he assured them that he was leaving, but not leaving really - and that he would still be around if people needed to contact him. If you're looking for the button to contact the Boss it's marked:

In Jeremiah 33:3 God says:

"Call to me and I will answer you"

Try turning the computer off and talking the Boss - you'll find he's already listening.