Being a Servant Leader

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said,

“Anyone who wants to be first 

must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

(Mark 9:35)

One of the greatest challenges for a Christian leader is to be a Servant! It is a challenge indeed. And one of the toughest challenge to overcome as a Christian leader is to remind yourself that you need to follow the example of Christ Jesus, without forgetting. Yes, and that's where most of the leaders who are part of God's mission fail.

One of the influential leadership styles that dominates the arena of leadership in this world is what Christ Jesus showed - Servant Leadership. The basic element of God-fearing leadership is to serve. Serving your followers as their leader. 

Going into a detailed reading of the passage from where the above verse was taken, shows us, that Jesus wanted to teach his followers that basic element of being a leader in the mission He was going to hand over to them. When there was a question of who would be counted as the first among them all, his disciples, Jesus takes advantage of the circumstance to teach them. May be he was observing this yearning to be the first prevailing amongst them for a while and Jesus makes his point.

So, the one who wants to be the first among all, to be the leader, must first humble himself to be the last among them all; must learn to serve before you lead. Wow! What a great thing to practice. Only a leader who has humbled himself to the level of feeling the pulse of the people could at anytime lead the people in the proper way. 

More than anything, Christ Jesus showed that in his own life. Just imagining that moment when God who created the heaven and earth, and The One who gave breathing into the human beings, removing His sandals and bending down with a cloth around His hip to wash the feet of His followers. What a moment that was for God and human beings, and for the history of leadership in this world. What an example that was. 

As you are growing up to be a leader called by God for His mighty ministry, I pray that you will grow up to be a leader who follows this example. May you be a leader who serves; a servant leader.

May God bless you.


Yours in Christ,