My friends all hesitated for a second in silence.
Then they started adamantly explaining that they had no desire to be like royalty. They listed off the multiple reasons they didn’t like royalty- unrealistic expectations, poor leadership, snobbish and condescending, confining decisions, little compassion, reserved and unapologetic… And I just sat there surprised. Yes, sometimes there are leaders who do not deserve their title, but there must be some- somewhere- who have inherited their position and treat it well.
However, Thor does not paint the picture of good royal leadership at all. “He’s arrogant, he’s reckless, he’s dangerous”. The movie begins with image after image of a young Thor, enamored with the coming crown, but immature and irresponsible. He rashly makes decisions and jumps headfirst without looking. He lashes out in anger, destroying a long set understanding with another planet. But more than anything, he does not value the lives of the people he has grown with and those he will rule. He only values the fight, and never thinks about what will follow after.
Being a good fighter is sometimes thought of as synonymous with good leadership. Leaders fight the necessary problems and protect their people. But leaders are not simply warriors, they have to be wise as well. Those who fight without forgiveness and wisdom end up with too many enemies and no one left to follow.
As the movie goes on, the decisions just get worse. “That’s pride and vanity talking, not a king. You have forgotten everything I taught you,” laments his father. And he begrudgingly banishes him to give him a chance to see the part of leadership that has nothing to do with war.
Leadership is not just about winning battles. It is about wisdom and respect. It takes respecting both those that are your enemies and those that you love in a way that makes good decisions for all involved. It is never reckless, it never plays with life, and it never abandons its cause. True leadership fights for that above looking impressive and winning the battle every time. And, just as Thor learns, good leadership is not reckless.
There is a popular worship song called “Reckless Love” that has been playing everywhere recently. It’s a catchy song about how God recklessly loves us. But the truth is, God is not a reckless leader. He does not angrily or quickly fly off the handle, responding in vengeance and arrogance to our problems. He is not dangerous and unworthy of the role he has. He is not responding to our prayers without knowing the consequences that will come because of it. He is wise, and collected, and fights when necessary, not for fun.
Thankfully, God does not fit the mold of poor royalty that we may have in the back of our minds. He is trustworthy. He is steadfast. He is creative. And he is thoughtful and thorough. And I’ll take that type of leader every day.
And more than that, I want to be that type of leader. The type of leader that Thor learns to be as the movie goes on. He learns how to use his strength only when necessary, not just for the sake of a fight. He values his own physical ability, but also his wisdom to know when to stand, when to push back, and when to wait. One of the most important things we can learn as leaders in the workplace is how to determine when to fight back and when to wait. That’s a key to having a great leader worth following instead of a reckless teen everyone runs away from.