A SERVANT

Biblically Speaking, the word leadership can be summed up in one word = “SERVICE”

Leadership = Service

In Matthew 19 starting on verse 1, we read of the Lord Jesus departing Galilee and went into the coasts of Judaea beyond the Jordan. There he taught the multitude and healed their sickness. After this he went up to Jerusalem with his disciples (Matthew 20) where he taught them about ‘grace, greatness, and service’. It was during this time that the mother of James and John, sons of Zebedee, came and asked the Lord Jesus a favour on behalf of her sons. She asked for a place of authority, leadership, and status in the Kingdom of God, to which the Lord Jesus replied “do you know what you ask for?” (vs.22). The Lord Jesus then turned to the two brothers and asked them, “Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied “we can”. So the Lord said ““You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.” The other disciples heard of what happened and were resentful toward the two brothers. In the ensuing dialogue, the Lord Jesus shared with them the foundational Leadership Principle according to Him and His Kingdom which has been manifested throughout his earthly life and ministry. He said to them;

• Matthew 20:25-28 (BBE) You see that the rulers of the Gentiles are lords over them, and their great ones have authority over them. Let it not be so among you: but if anyone has a desire to become great among you, let him be your servant; And whoever has a desire to be first among you, let him take the lowest place: Even as the Son of man did not come to have servants, but to be a servant, and to give his life for the salvation of men.

In Kingdom principles, this whole paradigm of leading and leadership is woven in the practicality of ‘humble service’. When you serve people, in whatever area of community or government you’re called or assigned to, and in whatever capacity, you will discover the truth about leadership through serving with a humble attitude. According to the Lord Jesus, the way up (in the domain of leadership) is to serve in humility. It is not about a position, authority, or greatness as defined by man; but it is about serving with unassuming nature, a sincere love for people, and the willingness to stand up for the good of others. Leadership is not just about influence or influencing people as some have said. It is about people and serving them.

It is interesting to note that the word ‘servant’ in vs.26 in the NIV is rendered ‘minister’ in the KJV, and is the translation of the Greek word ‘diakonos’ which can be defined as ‘one who execute the command of another, the servant of a king, a waiter/waitress as one who serves food and drinks in a restaurant. The word ‘diakonos’ has been adopted by the church today to define one who by virtue of the office assigned to him, serve the poor and the widows and has charge of the collection and distribution of money for their use.

One can really learn a lot by serving people in these manners, for example, a waiter/waitress can know the taste of a regular client, his day and hour of arrival to the restaurant, his favourite table, his favourite wine, his favourite music, even where he works, and on some occasions what he goes through in a day. The waiter /waitress makes preparation also on how to meet clients (first timers and regulars), learns to approach and smile, learn to ask questions and respond to the same concerning menus and accompanying drinks and wines. The regular client also comes to know a few things about the restaurant and their service that are attractive to him/her, their quality of service, food and menus, best days, etc. The waiter/waitress lives in expectations of his/her regular customer’s arrival and develops a service provider & client relationship and a service that is fitting for him/her that will continue to guarantee his /her return. In other words, the client, or regular one, becomes a follower of the waiter/waitress. To the waiter/waitress, the client is the most important actor so he is client focused; to the client, quality service is the thing so he is service focused. This is interesting because a regular customer is always willing to pay for the quality service he get and the waiter / waitress needs to maintain that service quality to sustain their connection.

How do you translate this scenario, as according to the definition of the word, into the domain of leadership? How does it help you become a good leader? The Lord Jesus said to his disciples, “…whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister…”

• Approaching people – As a waiter /waitress carefully approaches his / her customer, meets them right there as they enter with courtesy, explaining clearly the atmosphere of the restaurant for that time of the day including menu, drinks, etc, and pointing them to their destination, a reserved table or to an empty and prepared table and ready to receive their orders; so a leader needs to learn to approach those who are being drawn to him and those who have decided to follow him. The atmosphere of connection needs to be transparent and what an individual can expect or will expect in the course of their connection or association need to be made clear and up-front. When the Lord Jesus called his disciples, he lay everything on the table; the pros & cons; and their destination so the disciples know what they were getting into. He said, “come follow me, and I will make you fishers of man…”[1] In another passage he said to them, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”[2]; which signifies loyalty, responsibility and sacrifice. This is what they are getting into. They either take it or leave it, but all is on the table.

• Talking to people – When a waiter/waitress approaches a customer, he does so not with a frown but with a genuine smile; called it ‘Service with a Smile’; followed by a short simple welcome and greetings to make the customer comfortable. When she/he speaks his/her words are sort of chosen carefully. He addresses the customer if he is new as ‘Mr.’ and if the customer is a lady, as ‘Madam’. If the customer is a regular one he/she is addressed by Mr. or Mrs. So & So. Any leader needs to learn this because being in a position of leadership has authority but does not give any leaders the liberty to speak insolently; using any street-side vocab, but that he needs to respect people considering that he is privilege that they have made a choice to follow him. Otherwise he will not be able to sustain his influence in the long run. Who would want to follow a disrespectful, boasting, loud-mouth, sarcastic & inconsiderate leader who only wants to be served and not to serve? A leader’s authority is meant to serve three purposes; 1) to protect his mandate; 2) to move his work forward for the realization of his purpose, mission, and objectives; 3) to protect those who work with him/her and their welfare. Paul said, “Be wise in your behaviour to those who are outside, making good use of the time. Let your talk be with grace, mixed with salt, so that you may be able to give an answer to everyone”[3].

• Serving people – A leader needs to learn how to serve people. ‘You wish is my command’, and he needs to be genuine at it. Just like the waiter/waitress in our scenario who stands ready to serve his customer in total obedience to his orders; so too a leader stands ready to look into the needs of those who follow him and try his best to elevate their living standard considering their preference. To the weak he becomes their strength, to the hurt he becomes their comfort, to the poor he empowers them, a father to the fatherless, defender of the vulnerable, just like the Lord Jesus would do. Peter said, “Keep watch over the flock of God which is in your care, using your authority, not as forced to do so, but gladly; and not for unclean profit but with a ready mind; Not as lords over God's heritage, but making yourselves examples to the flock. And at the coming of the chief Keeper of the sheep, you will be given the eternal crown of glory”[4].

• Building of personal character – As a person serves; his character also has the opportunity to be built up. Let’s look at our scenario again. The waiter/waitress learns to be patient with his/her customers, learns to accepts all customers regardless of their qualification, faith, race, nationality, ethnicity, occupation, etc. He learns to control his/her frustration when a customer behaves badly or utter sarcastic remarks. He/she will show the same level of service to all who come through the restaurant door. A leader will learn this as he/she serves; to accept people as they are without any favouritism and prejudice. Peter said; “And in the same way, let the younger men be ruled by the older ones. Let all of you put away pride and make yourselves ready to be servants: for God is a hater of pride, but he gives grace to those who make themselves low”[5].

• Sustaining connections – As a leader serves, connections are also created. Our restaurant scenario again; On the question, What make a customer become a regular customer? One of the major factors that makes one a regular customer is quality service. The connection moves from an unfamiliar one to one where a bond of friendship is formed. Location becomes predictable so if he is not in a certain place, he could be where he has become a regular customer. While serving, a leader will also be learning how to sustain his connections with those who follow him. His quality of life, his character, his words that are salted with understanding and love, provide the atmosphere for connection sustainability. When the Lord was with his disciples, they have this ‘teacher – student’ relation, but coming to the end of his earthly ministry he told his disciples, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you. No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known unto you”[6]. He has served them with quality lifestyle and teaching and they have stuck by him all the time. Their connection has been sustained and their bond has moved from one of ‘student’ to one of a ‘friend’.

• Purpose Driven – As a leader serves, he will need to be motivated by something. What is the driving force behind his desire to serve people? Our scenario of the waiter / waitress at the restaurant is also purpose driven. He delivers quality service from the moment a customer enters to the delicacies prepared for him/her, with a “Thank you Sir / Madam, we’re here to serve you, have a nice evening” send-off phrase. What is the driving factor? It’s your wallet. That after having ‘dine-and-wine’ you will willingly open your wallet and pay for a service that has given you satisfaction. Leaders are to be purpose driven and their purpose is not something that they dreamt up themselves but one that finds its origin in God’s call on their lives. This is their cutting edge, the driving force behind their willingness to dig-in and hold their ground in tough and challenging times. At the end of day, what does a Christian leader desire to see? People being discipled for the Kingdom, living transformed lives in conformity to the lifestyle of the Lord Jesus. This is their greatest satisfaction; to see people being drawn from darkness to light and being prepared for eternity with God.

Whilst reading this passage, I was trying to picture this whole scenario and paraphrasing the Lord Jesus response to the two brothers and their mother. It was as if the Lord had said; “hey! hey! Woman, you don’t know what you’re asking for, and turning to his disciples said, Guys… Look at me; you want to be leaders right? You want to be great? How about you go serve in a restaurant first. You’ll learn something. Leadership is not what you think it is, like what you see in the world, no; it’s more than that.”

So you see; it’s not about barking out orders, but about serving and understanding people, making decisions that help in the realization of their dreams, maximizing their potentials and elevating their standard of living. Osei Menza wrote the book “Servant Leadership” in which he clearly expressed how a person is transformed to become a good leader when he serves in humility.

[1] Matthew 4:19

[2] Matthew 16:24 (ASV)

[3] “Colossians 4:5-6 (BBE)

[4] 1 Peter 5:2-4 (BBE)

[5] 1 Peter 5:5 (BBE)

[6] John 15:13-15 (ASV)