“The greatest among you shall be your servant.” – Matthew 23:11
The Kingdom of God turns the traditional values and aspirations of the world upside down! Status, titles, and wealth aren’t celebrated – faithfulness is. God’s Kingdom doesn’t value or applaud the exercise of power, but the willingness to use power to serve. It doesn’t exalt the high and mighty but the low and faithful. Jesus modeled this by His own incarnation, life, and death on our behalf.
This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t step up to important roles of leadership when called. It means that when we lead it must be by serving. Let us never think that “we’ve arrived” so we can enjoy power and authority over others as they serve us. Rather, when we lead, we must be regularly thinking like Christ. How can we serve those we lead – whether in the workplace, the classroom, the family, or the church?
Christian leadership isn’t about being a Christian who’s in charge. It’s about leading like Christ. Though He was the Son of God, Christ became a man to save us and used His power to help and heal the hurting, sick, paralyzed, demon-possessed, outcast, and dead. He didn’t use His power to enrich Himself or make Himself comfortable. He used His power for the good of all and the glory of God.
The more responsibility God entrusts to us, the more we must seek to use it with a servant’s heart and a Kingdom mindset. Christ’s example and Spirit within us will help us do this. However, we must get over ourselves and commit to leading like Him.
#FOLLOWJESUS
NOTE: While Pastor Brian is on sabbatical, we offer this devotional which was originally published on February 4, 2021.