18^th August

“…Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:26a-28

As the disciples gathered together once again, they began to discuss who was going to sit at the right and left hand of Jesus, when He returned to His Kingdom. Yet Jesus wisely didn’t give them a direct answer but instead shared the ultimate truth of what a true leader should be… A servant.

Jesus didn’t just speak empty words but lived them through His life. Jesus explained to the disciples that those who desire to become first or to become leaders must first know what it is to serve. Jesus, in coming to the earth in human likeness, showed us exactly what it means to live as a servant leader. He gave up His Heavenly rights to live as a created being and be crucified at the hands of those He created.

If we are to strive for leadership and strive for influence, then we must first learn how to serve our brothers and sisters with sacrificial love, self-less kindness and humility. The world teaches that great leaders are always the strongest characters, the boldest and the most outspoken. Yet Jesus teaches that the greatest leader should be like the meek and mild servant. This is not to say Jesus was a weak character, moreover it is to say His strength was in His gentle heart and His attitude to serve rather than be served. This was ultimately demonstrated when He gave His life as a ransom for our sins.