A while back I was writing a few posts about the characteristics necessary to be the leader that God wants us to be, and since I haven’t been able to write for a while I wanted to go back and share a few more of those characteristics that I think can help all of us become better leaders. If you didn’t see the first posts, just click on the name and you can read them here. First we talked about the importance of Humility, then we talked about Love and the last one was about Self Reflection. We today I would like to talk about another characteristic that would be Servanthood.
Possibly one of the greatest lessons that Jesus ever taught his disciples was when he did the unthinkable. He stood up from the last supper, tied up his robe, and began to wash the feet of His disciples. I can only imagine the look on their faces. Not long before this, they had been arguing over who would be first and greatest in the Kingdom, then Jesus turns around and shows them what true leadership is like. They were so convicted that Peter even tried to refuse to let Jesus wash his feet. When all was said and done, the disciples sat their in awe at what they had just experienced and then Jesus said those piercing words, “Do as I have done unto you”.
What a great and convicting example for us as leaders. Too often we think of ourselves as “the leader”, the one that everyone else has to listen to and serve. While we do have to take the lead as a leader, we must do it with the attitude and spirit of a servant. That means that our main focus, as we lead, is to serve others. While some think they have to lead with a whip and a hard hand, I believe that true leadership is when someone follows us not because they are afraid but because they believe in us and want to follow our example. So, how can we become a true servant leader like Jesus was? Here are a few ideas.
Recognize: (that we are no better than anyone else)
I have seen it too often, someone assumes the position of leader, and it goes straight to their head. They see themselves as the ultimate authority and everyone eles has to “bow” to their wants and desires. Some even take it to the extreme that they put themselves in the position of God and every decision has to be approved by them. Here in Bolivia I have heard of church members that could not take a certain job or even travel because the pastor was not in agreement. I recently preached 1 Corinthians 3:18-23 where Paul tells them that they should not glory in men because all things are theirs. The first three things in the list that follows are the names of Paul, Apollo and Cephas. Paul was telling them that they shouldn’t follow men like servants but that even the Apostles were nothing more than servants of the church. So when we begin to think of ourselves more highly than we should, we must realize that we are nothing more than servants of God and others.
Prioritize: (others in our lives and decisions)
In Phillipians chapter two the Bible says, “Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus”. Jesus came from heaven and was born in a stable and took the form of a servant. He came from the splendor of heaven and was crucified on a rugged cross. It is obvious that He wasn’t thinking of Himself, but was thinking of us. So when the Bible says that we should have the same mindset as Christ, that means that we should also make it a practice to put others before ourselves. It also means that we are to treat others like we would like to be treated. The only reason that we would treat others differently than we would like to be treated, is if we think that we are better than them, or that we deserve better than them. True servanthood means that we put others first and treat them with love and respect.
Sacrifice: (for others even when it is not convenient)
Another aspect that we see from Phillipians 2 is the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. When He humbled Himself, He became obediente to the cross, that horrible cross where He suffered and bled and died. Although He was 100% God, in His humanity He asked the Father, if it be possible, to take the cup away from Him yet the Father’s will was the most important thing. He was willing to sacrifice greatly so that we could reap the benefits. That is the mindset that we should have while leading others. There are going to be things that are not very comfortable or enjoyable, but we do them because we are willing to sacrifice for the benefit of others. It means getting up early, staying up late, spending long hours so that we can reach and lead people in their spiritual lives. So while some think that leading means that others should sacrifice for us, Jesus’ example is that we should sacrifice for those who are following us.
So what type of leader do you see yourself as? Are you truly a servant of others? If not you can begin to lead the way Christ led, by serving others first and only then will you see the true fruit of servant leadership.