A series on Leadership: Part Two
You call yourself a leader, yet you won’t follow direction? You want to be respected, yet you won’t respect “the little” people? You want to serve, yet you only want to serve in the capacity you think you should be used in? You want to be elevated, yet you won’t cut off the junk which keeps you bound to the ground? You desire to be seen using your gifts, yet you won’t use the “less glamorous” gifts that no one will see you perform? You want the glamour but you won’t get down into the grime? You say you want to show people a better way, yet you can’t be bothered with showing people genuine love?Then are you really a leader?
True leadership is accepting tasks that YOU DON’T WANT TO DO with humility and performing them in and with grace. A true leader doesn’t need certain tasks to do or be seen doing to know they are already a leader. A true leader will do the most menial of tasks without reservation or hesitation because they know it’s building character within themselves and those that they are leading/mentoring. A true leader will clean the toilets, show up early, leave late, escort people to their seats and sit in the overflow room to make sure others can enjoy the event. A true leader can’t be easily distinguished from the followers. A true leader knows there is always a greater leader than themselves and has no problem submitting to authority. A true leader will not get angry and upset when others aren’t following them, they will check themselves and ask “Who am I not following?” A true leader knows the greatest among the group is the least seen, the most humble and the servant of all others.
Jesus was the epitome of humble and servant leadership. What God, let less man do you know that would strip down to his underwear (in a society that exemplified modesty and chastity), take a bowl of water and some towels and wash His follower’s feet?? Washing the feet of another in that society was an act of lowly servant. How desperate a situation one must have been in to take or be forced to wash the feet of travelers. Walking in sandals in Israel must have made feet washing a dirty enterprise for sure. But the customs called for the feet to be washed before a meal was served. They didn’t sit at tables the way we do now, rather they reclined on pillows and low couches near the floor, so stinky, dirty feet would have been an un-welcomed sight at dinner. In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 22, we find that AFTER the Last Passover Supper the disciples shared with Jesus, the guys were fighting and arguing amongst themselves about who was the greatest among them. (Luke 22:24-30) So when Jesus rose from the table, made Himself look the part of the lowliest of servants and started the process of washing their feet, they must have been stunned! Here they were arguing about who was going to be in charge and it probably never occurred to them that they should be a servant to one another. The God of the universe, embodied in Jesus showed them that HE is the greatest of all. How? By being a servant to them all (even Judas, destined and determined to betray Him). selah
In Matthew 20:28 Jesus said, “The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give His life to rescue many people.” (Contemporary English Version) Jesus is King and Lord, yet if He didn’t come to enslave us and make us follow Him, how do we think as leaders we should do that to others? Leaders should be falling all over each other to serve one another and those that they lead. A great leader, especially one in the Kingdom of God will have no problems letting pride, ego and selfishness be checked in their hearts and at the door. There is no such thing as “doing something beneath themselves” in a leader like Jesus, for they know that the way to honor and glory is a road of humility, respect and honor toward everyone.
In the Kingdom of God the greatest of leaders is the servant. The Greatest Leader in the history of the universe showed Himself as a servant FIRST. He wore the cloak of humility when He came to restore us to the Father. Now, next time He comes to Earth, it will be as Conqueror and Judge, but even in this, Jesus will still be our example of what a great leader should do, rule with compassion, justice and love. Our perspective of what leadership looks like should never be based upon what we will personally gain but how much of ourselves we can give in order to serve the needs of those we are leading.
If you are a leader in any capacity, whether it is in the church, in a business or corporate arena, as a politician or even as a student-athlete, do a Kingdom of God assessment of your leadership skills. Are you there to dominate or to give direction? Do you lead by intimidation or imitation of Christ? Have you stopped to consider that those who follow are there because of admonishment or admiration? Take the time to compare yourself to the example of leadership our King Jesus the Christ has left for you and adjust your skills accordingly. A true leader is willing to lead from behind, pushing those under their charge into greatness and taking no obvious credit for their success. Abba Father has empowered us to be kings, not just servants, under the leadership of our great King Jesus. It is our responsibility to not operate as “normal” leaders but to take up the mantle of Kingdom leadership in a way that will change the perspective of what it means to be a leader. By serving others as though we are the least, it is in that manner that God will elevate us and place us in positions of kingship for eternity.
Now, I heard somebody say that the toilet overflowed again. It’s my honor. Let me go find my mop and gloves and get to work….
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