The Paradox of Biblical Leadership

The school bell has rung, class is now in session.

*Message inspired by Pastor Michael Fulton Jr., message titled The Joy of Servanthood. To read another post inspired by Pastor Fulton, click here.

Jesus said, “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 20:26–28).

This brings me to the Paradox of Biblical Leadership.

In everyday life, when pursing leadership, we think we need to do everything we can to “climb” the corporate ladder.

We think we need to get a tall glass of “right.” The right people, the right degree and the right connections. This may be what is required in the eyes of the world, but in God’s eyes, it could not be further from the truth.

Here are Four Big Principles that resonated with me when Jesus shared Leadership Principles with His disciples:

1. In order to be a leader you have to go down before going up; meaning, you have to be willing to be humble, before you are exalted. In the world, you normally keep your eyes on the prize, stepping on whomever gets in your way as you continue to climb the ladder.
2. To be a leader, you have to be willing to serve first. In the world, the opposite is usually true. The leaders of the world usually expect to be served.
3. To be a true servant leader like Jesus, we must love people like Jesus did. Without love for those who follow, serving as a leader can be peppered with resentment and even tyranny. In the world, leaders are often revered for their ruthlessness.
4. Servant leadership is not about personal recognition and applause, but about humility. Because of Christ’s humility He was able to empower others and sacrifice for them rather than expecting them to empower and sacrifice for Him. The leaders of the world usually aim to stand out from the crowd, and get the best of everything.

If you are called to leadership and want to be successful, remember these key principles. It will ensure that you are leading on the outside, and that your heart and actions towards those you lead are in the right position.

The school bell has rung, class dismissed!