| |
 There is a contrast between the secular path to leadership and the Christian path to leadership. The secular path to leadership requires ambition. The Christian path to leadership requires death to self.
However, it is noteworthy that even in the secular business world, a significant minority of leaders are challenging the traditional power model of leadership. The growing influence of Robert K Greenleaf (1904-1990) and the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership attest to that fact. Larry Spears, the CEO of the Greenleaf Center, describes servant-leadership in this way:
“As we near the end of the twentieth century, we are beginning to see that traditional autocratic modes of leadership are slowly yielding to a newer model – one that attempts to enhance the personal growth of workers and improve the quality and caring of our many institutions through a combination of teamwork and community, personal involvement in decision making, and ethical and caring behavior. This emerging approach to leadership and service is called servant-leadership.” (Larry Spears, Reflections on Leadership, www.greenleaf.org)
This is exactly what Jesus taught thousands of years ago!
“Then He said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it.’” (Luke 9:23, 24)
The secular path to leadership requires self-promotion. The Christian path to leadership requires serving. Solomon’s son Rehoboam provides us with a graphic example of what happens when we reject servanthood and choose instead the leadership path of self-promotion.
“When Rehoboam became king of Israel the people said to him, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.’ Rehoboam consulted his father’s elders and they advised him to ‘be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.’ But Rehoboam rejected this advice, telling the people, ‘My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’ As a result, the kingdom was divided in two.” (I Kings 12:1-16)
Jesus set the example of serving.
“His kind of service set an example. He showed His followers how to serve, and He demanded no less of those who would carry on His work on earth. Jesus teaches all leaders for all time that greatness is not found in rank or position but in service.” (Ted Engstrom, The Making of a Christian Leader, p. 37)
The Salvation Army once held a convention in the Midwest. The founder, General William Booth, who was scheduled to speak, became ill and cancelled. But he promised to send a telegram with his vision of their mission for the next ten years. At the convention, the moderator stood to read the telegram that everyone was so excited to hear. But the telegram had only one word: “Others.” That was Booth’s one word summary of the direction of the entire ministry for the next decade! (Quoted in, Rick Warren, Leadership is Serving Others)
Jesus showed us by His example that serving is the path to promotion in God’s kingdom.
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place…” (Philippians 2:5-9)
The American preacher Samuel Logan Brengle turned down an excellent pastorate to join William Booth and his Salvation Army. Booth accepted his services reluctantly, saying, “You have been your own boss too long.” To instill humility in Brengle, Booth assigned him the task of cleaning the boots of the other officers. Brengle was offended by the assignment. He said to himself, “Have I crossed the ocean in order to black boots?” Just then he saw a vision of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. “Lord,” he said, “You washed their feet, I will black their boots.” He went on to be the first American born Salvation Army commissioner.
|
|
