[The following devotional is a part of our 2015 Easter Season Devotional Book “Passion Road.” We will be posting a devotional each day on this blog between February 18 – April 5, 2014.]
A Different Kind of Leader by Mark Robinson
Read: Mark 10:35-45
Most people desire the perks of leadership. You want your boss’s salary, your senator’s influence, or even your father’s control of the TV remote. We spend time fantasizing about what we would do if we were in a position of power.
This thought process is not new. For millennia, people have associated leadership with privilege. Sadly, the myth that leadership is about perks and privileges, has led some with titles to misuse and abuse those they captain while others have selfishly viewed their position as merely a platform to accumulate personal gain. All the way back in the time of Jesus, people (even good people) struggled to correctly categorize the role of a leader. Jesus even addressed the topic. He wanted His followers to understand that leadership was about giving not getting . . . about serving not being served.
As Jesus’s earthly/public ministry developed, His disciples began anticipating what it would be like when Jesus set up His earthly kingdom. They couldn’t wait until Jesus was “on top” and they were excited about what perks knowing Jesus would bring to them. James and John even brazenly asked Jesus if they could be His number one and number two man in His kingdom. Jesus’s response was very interesting. He did not chastise James and John for their ambition, instead He modified their expectations for what leadership would entail.
Instead of their role as disciples being about their personal gain, Jesus reminded them that their role as disciples carried with it a responsibility to serve others . . . just as Jesus was modeling for them. Jesus was the Son of God. No leader was/is higher than Him. Yet Jesus did not see His position as something that was exclusively about His privilege. Instead Jesus came into this world to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many. Jesus service was seen in that He gave meals to the hungry, wisdom to the confused, direction to the hopeless, sight to the blind, and forgiveness to the sinner. In this way, Jesus modeled what a true leader does — He cares for His flock.
What perks and privileges has God entrusted to you in life? Rather than exploiting these blessings for you alone, have you considered how God might want you to serve others with them, following the example of Christ?
Question:
- What is one way you can serve others this week?
Prayer:
- Ask God to give you a Christ-like attitude toward others around you.