The Importance of Servant Leadership

We are living in uncertain times right now.  As I write this, yet another large seasonal storm is bearing down onto one of our coasts.  The children in our country are afraid to go to school because there is a decent chance that they may end up the victim of a mass shooting between algebra and social studies.  There is political scandal in the news, and religious strife in many of our churches.  There is also a global pandemic of course.  I spend a lot of time praying for our leaders.  What a time to be charged with leading a nation, state, or community.  Not to mention, everyone is watching what they do and say.  For every statement there is a rebuttal, and every rebuttal is subjected to a critique. 

When I think about these difficult headlines and current events, I often search the media to see if I can find any evidence of what the church calls 'servant leadership.'  Sometimes I do, but most often I do not.  This shouldn't surprise us really, as the world will often act differently than what God has revealed to us through the Bible.  But I don't give up hope that we may soon see a change in how our politicians and government officials react to stressful situations.   

We watch leaders come and go.  But I believe what is most prevalent with people in power today - both in corporate America and elsewhere - is the misconception that in order to be effective, we must always lead with force.  This often equates to the need to control everything, which in turn comes from allowing our egos to reign unchecked.  A typical strategy for managing a department or beginning a new business for example, often results in large groups of frustrated employees who are disillusioned with their jobs because all they see is the person in charge putting their preferences first.  "I'm in charge, and what I say goes" you may hear them utter.  Couple this style of leadership with the fear of showing weakness or admitting your mistakes, and we have almost the perfect storm.

But what did Jesus say about how to lead others?  You may remember a peculiar Scripture from the Bible that talks about Jesus welcoming little children.  In particular, Luke 9:46-48 says, "An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.  Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him.  Then he said to them, 'Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.  For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest."

It is a true statement that much of the time, children are looked upon as less influential (or more marginal) than the rest of the population.  But Jesus rightly takes the time to pull a little one over to himself and teach his followers about a heavenly paradox when it comes to servant leadership.  In other words, if we are ego-driven, control mongering, power hungry leaders - then we are doing something wrong.  We are not leading others the way Jesus taught.  In this case, it would indeed be better to behave like small children.

We may also remember the famous story about Jesus washing his disciples' feet during the Passover festival.  In those days, travel was arduous and people's feet and sandals would often become extremely dirty.  As such, it was a most detestable job to wash them for another person ... definitely not something reserved for the Son of God.  Or so we would think.

The fact is, Jesus washed their feet that day in order to demonstrate to them how to engage in servant leadership.  John 12:14-15 says, "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."

He set us an example, but are we listening?  Do we see our managers, bosses, and leaders serving their followers in this way?  Probably not very often.

The problem is that people will follow an intelligent, charismatic leader for a while - but it won't last forever.  If they begin to discover that everything this person says or does is still based around ego or selfish motives, they will eventually begin to fall away.  This is just as true in churches as it is in the business world.  Putting on a good show will sell tickets in the short run, but that alone does not cause genuine life change.  If we are not serving others also, they will feel it.  It cannot be all about us when it comes to leadership.  

One more Biblical account to look at that will help clarify this concept.  The story of King David and Bathsheba has always fascinated me.  Not just because it is a tale of deceit and adultery, but rather because it shows the trouble we can get into when we do not lead well.  You see, 2 Samuel tells us that David had sent his army off to battle against the Ammonites.  It wasn't uncommon to launch into battle in the spring time back then, but what is important here is the fact that the king stayed behind in Jerusalem.  In other words, David sent his army into battle, but decided that it would be better if he didn't get his hands dirty himself.  The fact that he passed on his duty as commander that day allowed the opportunity for problems to sneak in.  David saw the attractive Bathsheba from his vantage point during a rooftop stroll at the palace, and the rest is history (and not good history either).

David should have gone into battle with his troops.  So should we.  We are to get in there and serve.  People are watching and waiting for a leader like this.  David was not a bad guy mind you, I believe he simply got distracted and allowed himself to lose sight of the big picture. 

I remember one manager in particular whom I worked for during high school.  He was one of those rare leaders who would choose grace over punishment, and service above ego.  There was nothing that he assigned us which he had not done himself at some stage during his charge.  Since we all knew this, no one scoffed or complained whenever he gave us a task to do.  In fact, he often stayed late so that I could clock out and get home a bit early.  He was truly great to work for.

I wonder if he had ever read that story about Jesus washing feet.  I suppose it doesn't matter at this point, as I have lost track of him through the years.  Probably better to model it than to read about it anyway.  And best of all to teach it through example.  

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A Seat at the Table

Have you ever felt out of place?  That strange, sinking feeling that people get when they realize they were picked last for the dodge-ball team maybe?  Or the sudden awareness that you have gone to a party and didn't catch the memo stating it was a formal affair - so you showed up wearing a t-shirt and sneakers?  Whatever the details may have been, I believe it is a truism to say that most people have felt out of place at one time or another.  It's so easy to feel like we don't fit in or don't belong sometimes.

For me, this first occurred during a Little League season right around fifth grade.  I was a late walk-on to the team, and I simply wasn't very good.  One of my friends had convinced me to give it a try.  I lacked the years of experience that the other kids had, along with a general confusion about where I was supposed to throw the ball at any given moment.  Apparently it's always safe to throw it to the pitcher they told me, except for when it wasn't, and unless the coach tells you otherwise.  That's assuming you can hear the coach over the dull roar of parents in the bleachers anyway.  You get the idea - I'm not a natural baseball player.    

Sufficed to say, I really didn't fit in on that team.  My favorite part of the game was after it was over, because we got a quick visit to the snack bar for icy cones.  I am proud to say that for my own kids, this lack of ability to play team sports seems to have skipped a generation.  In fact, two of the three do quite well with baseball and softball.  My role has switched to become one of the parents in the stands.  

When we take this analogy into the spiritual arena, you will be relieved to know that membership in the divine family of God isn't the same as walking into a new and unfamiliar sport.  It is less intimidating I think.  In fact, Jesus often talked about the importance of declaring affiliation with himself and the Father.  

John 15:5 says, "I [Jesus] am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."  We might learn from this I think, that it is much better to be part of the vine … part of the grand design that is the Holy Trinity.  Better to affiliate and claim membership to that which is life-giving and sustainable.  After all, no one wants to be 'pruned' out of the main vine, right?

There is another curious theme that runs through the New Testament.  Jesus tells a number of parables relating to the kingdom of heaven by way of the banquet metaphor.  We are told that the Lord will welcome His guests into His house and provide them a seat at the "banquet table."  We are also told not to seek out the most important and affluent chair at the table, but rather to remain humble and sit with the other guests.  We are simply to be grateful just to be there and enjoy the food.  It's much easier to fit in that way.  

Matthew 22:2-4 tells us, "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.  He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.  Then he sent some more servants and said,'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready.  Come to the wedding banquet."

We have now this portrait before us.  There will be an amazing wedding banquet someday.  It will consist of those who are invited, if they choose to come.  The parable says that many will give excuses as to why they cannot attend.  They are busy with work or other obligations.  These declarations will all fall flat on that great day by the way.  But for the guests at the feast who show up, the entrees served will be love and acceptance - they will have a seat at the table reserved just for them.  No more feeling out of place, and no more wondering whether or not to throw the baseball to the pitcher or to first base.  The voices of the cheering parents in the stands will be replaced and overshadowed by the glow of Christ's light.  He is the vine, we are the branches … the way things were always supposed to be.  

Now I don't believe it follows, by the way, that any and every sin will be allowed into the banquet hall along with the guests.  In fact, there is mention made in the parable about an unknown man who had snuck into the feast without the proper clothing.  True he doesn't fit in, but for good reason.  He has not sought after forgiveness, has no interest in repentance, and does not accept Jesus as the vine.  After being discovered, the story says that he is dismissed out into the cold … just past the banquet hall doors.  Have no fear, people like that will never get their hands on your seat at the table; it doesn't work that way.  

But we know that this fate isn't predestined of course, otherwise the good news of the Gospel wouldn't be so good at all.  So how do you and I make sure that we are 'dressed appropriately' for the feast?  We call upon the name of Christ to save and uphold us.  We ask to be a branch on his vine.  We respond with an RSVP to the party ahead of time.  Scripture says salvation is open to anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord - so call upon it now.  Get right with God, and please show up to the banquet on time.  

The born-again Christian has assurance that eternity will be spent with a loving God, in a mansion with many rooms, and a seat reserved just for you.  There will be no more loneliness, confusion, or feeling out of place.  No more pain or suffering - that will be the old order of things.  Instead, we get to live forever in a type of fulfilled abundance that we have never known before.  We will be accepted and loved.  We will have a seat at the table.  

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Less Than Holy

A crisis situation has the ability to expose peoples' true colors.  In an era of cell phone videos and YouTube, it no longer does any good to pretend that people do the right thing all of the time.  Let's face it, Big Brother is often watching, and it doesn't take much work to quickly download real time video of human beings behaving badly.  Sometimes mankind rises to the occasion, and other times - we sink to the bottom.  

Now please note that I'm not trying to build a case against the idea that most people want to do the right thing most of the time.  This may in fact be quite true.  But take for example a piece of video that went viral back in March (right when the COVID-19 panic began to set in) that showed a woman in a supermarket with an entire shopping cart full of toilet paper.  The video then revealed that another lady walked up to her and requested just one package of bathroom tissue, as the shelves were now bare.  The first woman replied by denying this request, and attempted to keep the entire cart of toilet paper for herself.  As you may surmise, an argument ensued.  

I don't know how this transaction ended, but I can tell you that it certainly seemed as though the first woman was acting in a selfish manner at the time.  No doubt she was probably frightened; scarcity does that to a person.  There was no getting around it, however, the video showed what it showed.  Crisis plus fear equals people acting reprehensibly sometimes.  My point is this: many people, if left to their own devices, will often fall short of the glory of God.  They may in fact demonstrate behavior that is 'less than holy' at times.  

Now before I start to sound judgmental here, I want to point out that ancient Scripture also reflects our difficult situation all too clearly.  Apparently people haven't changed much in a few thousand years, at least when it comes to certain things.  We will focus our attention on the book of Proverbs for this lesson, as it has a lot to say about this type of behavior.  

I think most of you will agree that certain life situations accentuate less than holy behavior in three general areas: jealousy, pride, and selfishness.  

If we discuss jealousy first, we can look to Proverbs 14:30 which says, "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."  We all know what it's like to want something.  We understand what it's like to covet it so badly that we omit any piece of empathy for the person who has what we want, and we go straight to being jealous.  Proverbs says here that this attitude can 'rot the bones.'  It destroys our peace, and leaves us green with envy, never to recover that peace until we also acquire said item.  Only the catch is, even if we get what we want, we aren't always happy with it (at least not for very long).  That is how the human heart works sometimes - always looking ahead, and never content with the present.  The grass always appears greener on the other side of the fence.  

Second, certain circumstances can sometimes reveal within us a hearty bit of pride.  Proverbs 3:7 says "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil."  It should be mentioned here that many theologians have attested to the fact that pride may have helped foster "original sin."  Back in the garden of Eden, the devil tempted Adam and Eve with deception.  But even before that, the devil himself was converted over from a good and holy being, to something prideful and repugnant.  He considered himself so perfect and beautiful that he ought to be like God.  Laughable to think about now, but it must have seemed like a good idea at the time.  Regardless of that origin story - it's best that you and I harbor a humble heart I would think … don't you agree?

Finally, we must mention selfishness.  That poor woman in the YouTube video may never live that event down.  Her fifteen minutes of fame appeared on CNN.  It was splashed across televisions and Internet browsers for a couple days at least.  She had made up her mind that there was no way she was going to share even one package of bathroom tissue that day.  

Proverbs 18:1 says "An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels."  Indeed a quarrel was started that day at the supermarket.  We know from Scripture that it is better to give than to receive, but do we actually follow through with that concept when no one is watching.  Or more to the point, when we don't think anyone is watching.  Oh how much easier it was to pretend to be good when there wasn't a camera installed in each cell phone.  It's a more transparent world in many ways now; it holds us accountable.    

The fact remains that God calls us to be better than all this, even in times of trial.  He calls us to follow and trust in Him.  Ezekiel is an old book from the Bible, and not often quoted nowadays.  This all changed after an influential pop culture film entitled 'Pulp Fiction' was released almost two decades ago.  In the film, one of the main characters is known for quoting certain chapters and verses of this Old Testament book throughout the movie.  For now, we will focus on just one area.

Ezekiel 36: 26-27 says "I [God] will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your selfish heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."  

You see, that is the promise from Jesus … we are to be given a new heart.  And this new heart can do miraculous things from time to time.  It acts to change people's minds about whether or not mankind is moral.  This new heart can provide leadership where it is needed, hope when it is called for, and generosity when necessary - even if things look grim.  

A redeemed heart from God does nothing less than reflect Jesus instead of our own (often selfish) desires.  Now don't get me wrong, people will still struggle with sin until the day our Lord comes back for the Second Advent.  But I think a new heart means that we no longer have to worry all the time about whether we are acting holy enough or not.  God fills in the gaps where we fall short.  I suspect it was always meant to be this way.  

It is okay to share some of your bathroom tissue I think, especially if you have an entire cart full of it.  Try not to live in the fear that you will run out of something, but rather, lean into the promises of the Bible.  Remember those Scriptures that talk about living an abundant life, even though things may sometimes seem dark all around us?  Cultivate an Ezekiel kind of heart, and other people will start to notice.  You will stand out in a crowd, as the born again Christian was always meant to.



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