Oswald Chambers said, “True greatness, true leadership, is achieved not by reducing [people] to one’s service, but by giving up oneself in selfless service to them.” Our greatest leadership is whenever we practice authentic servant-leadership. Our greatest influence is whenever we serve from a Christ-centered heart of love. Our most bless-able posture before God is whenever we humble ourselves in selfless service to those God has placed within our reach.
The Journey: Matthew 23:11-12
The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Oswald Chambers said, “True greatness, true leadership, is achieved not by reducing [people] to one’s service, but by giving up oneself in selfless service to them.”
If that be true, then our greatest leadership is wherever we practice authentic servant-leadership. Our greatest influence occurs when we serve from a Christ-centered heart of love. And we are most bless-able before God when we humble ourselves in selfless service to those God has placed within our reach.
Do you want to be a great leader, have influence over people’s lives and be positioned for Divine favor? Develop your servant-leader quotient. The late Dr. Earnest J. Campbell, Senior Minister at the historic Riverside Church in New York City from 1968-1976, gave a powerful commencement address at Princeton Seminary in 1978, and the title of his message was, “They Also Serve Who Lead.”
That title is a sermon in itself. In his address, Campbell gave some characteristics of servant leaders that I have found personally challenging—and definitely worth emulating. Give some thought to these as you think about your own call to servanthood and influence:
- The servant-leader is willing to assume whatever role necessary.
- The servant-leader understands that there is no job beneath his dignity.
- The servant-leader is willing to pay whatever price for stability, peace, and health [in his home, business or church].
- The servant-leader measures his success not in how submissive people are to him, but in how much they respond to his Christ-like example.
- The servant-leader takes responsibility for and watches closely the spiritual, emotional, financial and physical well-being of those in his care.
- The servant-leader is never too busy to or too important for interruptions to meet whatever need people may have at the moment.
- The servant-leader is quick to forgive, slow to judge.
- The servant-leader is ridiculously generous.
- The servant-leader e is willing to pay a high price, whatever the cost, to obey God.
- The servant-leader willingly puts his life on the life for God, his family, and his people.
Something to really think about, isn’t it?
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