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>> Beautiful pictures of the youth in the Middle East. It is not about me. I’m not
the one who gets the glory. It’s really about Jesus. These could be the words of Paul
as they describe his basic attitude as he seeks to serve Jesus and be God’s servant
to the people to whom he was called. 2 Corinthians 4:5 and onward says, “For what we proclaim
is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’
sake. For God who said let light shine out of darkness has shown in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have
this treasure in the jars of clay.” And so on.
This passage of 2 Corinthians 4:5-18 gives us a list of attitudes and phrases that suggest
how is Apostle Paul being defined as a Christian leader. Perhaps this is why Jesus never used
the word leader when he referred to his disciples. It seems that conventional leadership values
in his time were not those Jesus wanted to transfer to the future leaders of the church.
Although the religious establishment of his day was perpetuating a system that seemed
infinitely stronger and more permanent than what Jesus did, history has proven his model
endures. The Jesus model.
There are plenty of leadership models in the market today. And a good number of them are
biblical. However, it appears that most of them have departed from the Jesus model of
leadership. The New Testament model.
One of the key values that distinguish Jesus’ way of leadership was his priority on the
kingdom potential of his followers. Furthermore, the weight of the Gospel writings indicate
that Jesus spent very little of His time building an organization. Although he could have grown
a huge congregation which might have protected him from the wrath of the political and religious
leaders, Jesus opted to invest in just a few people with the goal of reproducing his heart
for the world in those who would carry the Gospel torch after he returned to the Father.
Most leaders of today desire to be successful. After all, how will an organization be effective
in fulfilling its mission unless the leader is successful? Comparatively speaking, the
leadership choice Jesus made and models are risky, yet the rewards are truly everlasting
by building people for the world instead of his small gathering, the face of the nation
changed forever. The 2,000 year old assembly we call the church today is the result of
Jesus’ primary focus on transforming a few followers during his three years of ministry.
The message is profound for leaders who want to lead like Jesus. It distinguishes Jesus’
leadership from the utilitarian models that are discarded if they are unsuccessful. Those
who live Jesus’ way do not do so not because it’s not the successful way to lead, but
because it’s the right way to lead.
The follower of Jesus is passionate about being like Him. Knowing Him, loving Him, learning
from Him and leading like Him. Jesus also taught his disciples about the importance
of serving sacrificially. Known are verses on giving a life for a friend, turning the
other cheek, forgiving seven times 70, loving our enemies, et cetera. One of the teachings
speaking on the subject of sacrificial service was Jesus’ remarks about the Pharisees and
publicans of the day in Matthew 6:1-5. Aware of practicing your righteousness before other
people, for you have been, received your reward on earth already. Jesus rebuked their practices
of the day. Christian leaders of today should not act in a similar way.
Why would God choose Mary, a young, inexperienced, unmarried peasant girl from a rural area to
be mother of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ? Mary answers this question in the opening
lines of her song, “my soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior
for he has been mindful of the humble estate of his servant.” This theme continues right
through the Bible and is brought home to us forcefully by James and Peter when they wrote
in Proverbs 3:34, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” In verses
James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5, it seems that God even picks a fight with those who are proud.
Jesus not only thought the truth in Matthew 23:12, but he modeled this attitude for all
to see.
And then the only description Jesus makes of himself is in Matthew 11:29, “I’m humble
and gentle.” And He tells us to learn from Him.
The New Testament teaches the servanthood theme. That Christ-likeness is servanthood,
that leadership is best displayed as servanthood. True servanthood is not reluctantly squeezed
out of us, but flows out from a place of maturity and stability that ends the internal war that
tempts so many toward achieving greatness.
Fractured spirituality lies at the heart of this. And leaders around the world are observed
grasping and wielding unchecked power and a quest for personal greatness. Fractured
spirituality has to do with knowing what the Word of God says, but seemingly being unable
to live in its truth in the place of health and peace.
Part of the answer to help humankind through, apart from anything else, healthy modeling
from leaders. And healthy leaders will be found amongst those who are discovering in
the very depths of their hearts and lives that once you have become a son or daughter
of the King of kings, the quest for significance has ended. There’s no up or promotion from
there and that this place is given by grace alone. Thank you.