Written By Ben Dankaka
Meditation – Matthew 18:4
You can’t function effectively in any position of leadership if you are not willing to serve others. Think of all the great leaders you know. Each of them is known for serving others. Whether they are religious leaders, political, business or career leaders, every one of them is known for offering a service to others. Jesus, whom I consider as the greatest leader of all time said, “I did not come to be served but to serve the world.” If you are not thinking of serving others, you would never become an effective leader. To become an effective leader, you must, first of all, be someone’s servant. If Joseph, Moses, David and Solomon, Daniel and Paul didn’t serve others, we wouldn’t have noticed them in the Bible. A leader or a king is literally a servant. It is by serving others that a leader earns the respect of his followers. If you are not serving others with something valuable, why should people follow you?
Jesus criticized the Pharisees because they were unwilling to serve. He was angry with them because they tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves were not willing to lift a finger. The Pharisees expected the people to serve God and do the right thing. But they themselves were unwilling to serve others and God. In God’s kingdom, we become effective through service. But you can’t serve if you are not humble. Humility is the determining factor. Jesus said, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” When the disciples wanted to know how a person can be great Jesus told them to humble themselves like children. If you truly desire to be an effective leader, humble yourself so you can be able to serve others.
Prayer: Dear Lord, give me a humble spirit. Amen.
REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Matthew 18:1-5; Matthew 23:11-12
Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.