Leading through Service

It can be easy to forget that Jesus Christ taught us to be servant leaders in a world where many leaders are motivated to fulfill their own ambition and desires. As the Son of God and the ideal example of how we should live our lives, Jesus Christ is the perfect example for us. Jesus says in Mark 10:42-45, “Jesus called his followers together and said, ‘You know that the men who are considered rulers of the people have power over them. And the important leaders have complete authority over the people they rule. But it should not be that way among you. Whoever wants to become great among you must serve the rest of you like a servant. Whoever wants to become first among you must serve the rest of you like a slave. In the same way, the Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people.”

These words of Jesus should remind us all that our ultimate goal as leaders is to serve others, not ourselves. We are called to be selfless and to put the needs of others ahead of our own, just as Jesus did in John 13:12-17 when He washed His disciples’ feet. By doing so, we can show Christ’s love to those around us and inspire others to do the same.

A servant leader must be humble. The Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 2:3-8 (ERV), “Don’t do anything only to get ahead. Don’t do it because you are proud. Instead, be humble. Value others more than yourselves. None of you should look out just for your own good. You should also look out for the good of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God. Instead he gave up everything and became a slave. He was born as a man and became like a servant. And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God. He obeyed even when that caused him to die. And he died on a cross.”

We must be willing to put our own needs aside and serve others from a place of love and compassion if we are to be servant leaders. We must be willing to prioritize the needs of others over our own, as Jesus did when He died on the cross for our sins.

Another important quality of a servant leader is empathy. “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd,” Matthew 9:36 states. Jesus looked around Him with empathy and compassion, recognizing their needs and struggles.

We must be willing to put ourselves in the shoes of people we serve in order to comprehend their needs and problems as servant leaders. We need to be ready to hear what they have to say, understand their situation, and do everything we can to assist them.

Let us be servant leaders, following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Let us be selfless, humble, and compassionate toward people around us. Let us be willing to put others’ needs ahead of our own and serve them with all our hearts, as Jesus did.