Servant Leaders

But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Matthew 23:11 NASB1995

Jesus was speaking to the crowds and His disciples. He was making a point. The religious leaders of the day used their positions for their own gain. They gave lip-service. They wanted everyone to see their positions of prestige. They wanted all the honor.

But Jesus spoke of leadership differently. He didn’t come in the grand fashion some may have expected. Although, He could have done so, He instead came as a lowly baby, born in an animal stall. He had no grand entrance into the domain He came to serve.

Oh, no!

He chose to be a seemingly unimportant figure. He chose to walk along dusty roads and speak with questionable people at table, eye to eye. He chose to go to those that needed Him to bend and write in the dirt with His finger. He chose to stop His walk while a woman reached her hand out to brush the tip of His garment with her finger-tip because her faith was placed in Him.

He touched those that no one else would.

He saw them.

He knew them.

He had compassion for them.

He heard them.

He served them in their deepest needs.

He told them the greatest one would be a servant. It sounded backward. By the world’s standards, how can a leader be a servant?

But that is exactly what He did.

I have a dear friend that would ask prospective leaders if they wore blue jeans. On the surface, many would think what does that have to do with a leadership position. That is just a fashion choice. And some people choose not to wear blue jeans.

But fashion wasn’t on her mind.

She wanted to know if they were willing to get their hands dirty doing tough work. She wanted to know if they were willing to work side-by-side with their subordinates or did they consider themselves too important to do menial tasks.

I know what you are thinking. Leaders have important roles to play that do not always lend itself to having the time to take on tasks that are performed by others. But that wasn’t what she expected.

Her reference to blue jeans was to discern how the prospective leader viewed themself. Not expecting them to do another’s job but to determine if they considered themself as a servant leader. Were they willing to do what needed to be done? Would they support the people that relied on them? Would they help in a crunch? Or would they disappear when times looked hard and leave their people stranded and left to manage on their own?

Jesus did the dirty work. He didn’t leave anyone stranded. He showed up and gave attention to His people. He had compassion. He didn’t come to be served but He came to serve.

Are you a leader? You may answer no but let me tell you otherwise. If you are able to get yourself out of bed in the morning and prepare your own food or at least seek it out at the closest drive-thru, you are a leader. If you can clothe yourself and maybe even have littles that you do the same for, you are a leader. If you have a job, even if you do not supervise anyone else, you are a leader.

Are you a servant?

Oh, that is just a different question!

But is it?

Have you read anything I have written? Did you read the passage that I led with? Here, let me give it to you again.

But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Matthew 23:11 NASB1995

Do you wear blue jeans?

Are you willing to get your hands dirty?

I would love to hear your experiences with servant leaders. Will drop a comment below and share?

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