Nobody modeled servant-leadership better than Jesus. In fact, on one occasion He told his disciples, “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). But unfortunately, Jesus’ disciples had a hard time grasping this revolutionary model of leadership.
In the Gospel of Luke chapter nine, we see a string of opportunities to learn what leadership was really all about, and each time the disciples missed the point. From this passage, we discover three things servant leadership is not.
1. Servant Leadership is Not the Pursuit of a Position
The first missed opportunity to learn servant leadership happens when an argument breaks out among the disciples about, “which of them would be the greatest” (Luke 9:46). Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he takes a little child beside him and said, “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” (Luke 9:48).
While the disciples were concerned about the pursuit of a position, Jesus was concerned about the posture of the heart. Servant leadership is never focused on titles and positions, and yet, when we practice servant leadership, God seems more inclined to entrust us with them.
That’s what He did with Joseph? God gave Joseph favor as he positioned himself with a heart of purity and integrity. God elevated him time and again as Joseph served faithfully, whether under Potiphar, in the prison, or in the palace.
2. Servant Leadership is Not the Pride of Exclusivity
You would think the disciples would have clued into what Jesus was saying, but they missed the point completely. Instead, John immediately says, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.” (Luke 9:49).
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? He’s not in our denomination. She’s not in our church. They don’t do church “our” way. How petty we can sound. So, what is Jesus’ response? “‘Do not stop him,’ Jesus said, ‘for whoever is not against you is for you’” (v. 50). Have you ever stopped to think that if the church down the street isn’t against you, they’re for you?
The lesson is clear: servant leadership is not about the pride of exclusivity. Being a leader in the Kingdom of God is not exclusive to the best and the brightest. His power isn’t reserved for name-brand evangelists or popular preachers. Leadership in God’s Kingdom has no room for pride. The way up is down, and the high path is the humble path.
3. Servant Leadership is Not the Abuse of Power
When Jesus sent messengers ahead of him to a Samaritan village, they were not welcomed because they were heading for Jerusalem. So, what do His disciples suggest? “When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?’” (Luke 9:54).
Strike three, you’re out. You would think the disciples would finally get it. You’d think Jesus’ point was loud and clear by now. But, once again, the disciples missed the mark. How does Jesus respond? “Jesus turned and rebuked them” (Luke 9:55).
What were the disciples thinking? “Oh, you don’t want us here. Okay, that’s fine. But it’ll cost ya. Stand back boys, I’m about to call down fire.” But Jesus had a different plan. In the Kingdom of God, leadership isn’t about the abuse of power. Getting your way isn’t the goal. Serving is.
The world’s way of leadership is all about position, pride, and power. It’s all about leveraging who you are and what you have to get what you want. It’s all about elevating your name and your agenda.
But Jesus operated by the rules of a different Kingdom. Again, He came to serve, not to be served. In fact, He said, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave” (Matthew 20:26-27).
The key is to lead by serving and serve by leading. The key is the attitude of the heart. It’s reorienting your life around service and sacrifice rather than rights and rewards. So, what’s our first step to leading as a servant? Ask yourself these three questions:
- Do I rely on my position to gain influence and respect from others? If you do, your leadership will be short-lived. The only thing a position does is buy you a little time to prove what kind of leader you really are.
- Am I creating a culture of exclusivity? If you are, you’ll only care about people if they can do something for you. In the end, your pride will infect your heart and undermine your leadership.
- Do I use my power so I can get my way? If you do, God may eventually strip you of your power because He cares more about your soul.
These are heart-check questions, but they’ll help you course-correct and return to a healthy approach to leadership. They’ll help you become a servant-leader and honor God with the influence He’s entrusted to you.
