Servant Leadership

I have been alive long enough to witness many kinds of leadership styles. I have seen the leaders with what seem to be surgically attached suits, neatly coiffed hair, toting a briefcase and having the ever-present smile and handshake. I have seen the ones who bark out orders. I have witnessed the ones who try and satisfy everyone and "keep the peace." I have been around the ones who take a "hands-off" approach, allowing those they lead much leverage to do as they see fit. I have heard about, or read about, all kinds of approaches, styles, principles, and experiences for all kinds of situations.

One principle that I believe never changes: A God-led leader is a servant.

Take a look at 1 Kings 12, excerpts taken from The Message. When the new king, Reheboam, heard from the people about the work-loads and lightening up on them in comparison with his father, Solomon, he sought the advice of his father's experienced advisors. They told him, "If you will be a servant to this people, be considerate of their needs and respond with compassion, work things out with them, they'll end up doing anything for you" (verse 7).

He didn't like that. He grew up in Solomon's household. He liked the stuff those workloads resulted in. So, he went to his friends. They told him, "Tell them this: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist. If you think life under my father was hard, you haven't seen the half of it. My father thrashed you with whips; I'll beat you bloody with chains'" (verse 11).

Reheboam followed the advice of the latter and instantly lost the 4/5 of the kingdom he inherited from Solomon. Eight tribes wound up under Jereboam's control, a man whom Solomon tried to assassinate. But Reheboam, rather than follow the advise of the prophet who addressed him in 1 Kings 11, took an equally selfish tact as Reheboam from a different angle. He thought to himself, "It won't be long before the kingdom is reunited under David. As soon as these people resume worship at the Temple of God in Jerusalem, they'll start thinking of Reheboam king of Judah as their ruler. Then they'll kill me and go back to Reheboam" (verses 26-27). Jereboam wound up building two golden calves, telling the people that these were the gods that led them out of Egypt. He built shrines, and designed festivals to replace those God had required people to follow in Jerusalem.

Two leadership styles were on display, while only one was advised by God: (1) Autocratic, intimidating leadership; and (3) God-led, servant leadership. Two are self-absorbed, while the third is self-less. Two view leadership as ownership or manipulation, while the third sees leadership as stewardship.

Servant leaders have the best interests of people in mind. They see their responsibilities as stewards of whatever God has given them leadership over. They put a God-given vision before people and serve people to help them accomplish it. They respond to people, and they are compassionate. They work things out rather than tell people what to do. People love to work with a servant leader because they know that a servant leader has their back.

My desire is to be a servant leader. I know there are hiccups along the way, because there will always be that foolish advisor in the back of my head telling me to do it differently. I feel it is crucial for servant leaders to thus surround themselves with others who hold them accountable to God's vision for their leadership and to being a servant. My ultimate goal as a servant leader is to be led by God to serve as Christ served people.

Lead by self-ambition, intimidation, or placation, reap rebellion. Lead by serving, lead to God, and reap peace and prosperity that builds up people and honors God.