Good morning everyone,
I was going to post on customer’s needs, but thought that this weekend would be better suited if we talked about Leadership. More importantly, the type of leadership that will be lasting.
When most people think about leadership, they think about being at the top of the organization running things and commanding the employees to do what needs to be done. Leadership is more about how you can serve your organization and not about how the organization can serve you. It seems weird to think about that, but it is true. Great leaders serve their organization. They serve by the stand point of helping others get to a point where they can truly succeed.
Dave Ramsey’s Entreleadership summit and podcast has a great following and one that I participate in. John Maxwell also is a large proponent on leaders serving their organization. There are other servant leadership proponents as well, but I want to talk about one individual that truly was the example of leadership.
Today I want to focus on Jesus Christ’s leadership. I am not going to get into a faith discussion today. I am not here to push my faith on you’re the reader, but I do want to focus on what Jesus did as a leader. I want to show you what his leadership was about and what happened as a result.
Jesus Christ was known as a leader of the Christian church movement. Jesus Christ has been written about for over 2000 years and was a servant leader. His ministry lasted only a few years, but had great impact especially after his death on the cross. He inspired a great deal of people to change their ways of thinking, not to mention the many miracles he performed. Jesus poured into his disciples and those that he lead. He used stories to communicate his message and asked a great deal of questions to provoke thought in those that heard him.
He also did something most leaders wouldn’t do. He humbled himself as a leader to serve those that followed him. The story that I want to zero in on is the story of the last supper. This was the last meal that Jesus would have with his disciples in preparation for what was going to happen in the next few days.
Jesus and his disciples gathered in an upstairs room to have a meal together. They had traveled many miles in the hot desert preaching to all those that came out to see and hear them. Jesus’s disciples I am sure were worn out from traveling and preaching so I’m sure they were looking forward to a great meal and time together after their journey. This is when Jesus took leadership to a whole different level in my opinion. During the last supper with his disciples instead of sitting at the head of the table and being waited on, he tied a towel around his waist and grabbed a bowl with water and began washing his disciple’s feet.
Those that were following Jesus were getting their feet washed by their leader. This was not something that happened by leaders back then and I’m sure it does not happen today that much either. I can’t imagine what those feet must have looked or smelled like. They walked around on dirt all day traveling in the hot sun. They had to smell and be layered with sweat and dirt. I am not sure I could have done this. I mean I may have gotten a bowl of water, soap, and a towel for people to wash their feet, but I am so OCD about my hands, I am not sure how long it would take for me to wash my hands after washing other’s feet. I would probably have had to put on rubber gloves to do this. He used his bare hands to wash their feet.
Jesus humbled himself to serve his followers and inspire them with a message about what leadership looks like. It looks like doing acts of service and making decisions each day that will benefit those that follow leaders. He knelt down and served his disciples in preparation for a meal they would be enjoying. He did not have to do this. He could have ordered one of the disciples to do this, but he decided to serve them. After the meal Jesus was willing to sacrifice his life being beaten and hung on a cross for his mission. He was all in and was willing to do what he believed was necessary to help the people that believed in the mission.
By doing these things and serving those that followed him, Jesus showed what leadership looks like. After his day on the cross his disciples were so bought into the mission that the Christian church grew at an unmatched pace. Some of his followers were put to death for the cause as they were so bought in to. He is now known as a symbol of hope of what is to come and the best example of leadership that I can think of.
Take time to read about what Jesus was willing to do especially during the Easter timeframe. Read about how he served all those that followed him. Remember what Jesus went through for his followers during his time of sacrifice. See how Jesus humbly served his followers to be the example of leadership.
The question I have for you is, how far are you willing to go for those that you lead, or will lead in the future?
Sincerely,
Kevin Sidebottom