The Essence of Leadership Part 3

SERVANTHOOD

By Apostle Felix

But this is not your calling. You will lead by a completely different model. The greatest one among you will live as the one who is called to serve others, because the greatest honor and authority is reserved for the one with the heart of a servant. For even the Son of Man did not come expecting to be served by everyone, but to serve everyone, and to give his life in exchange for the salvation of many. Matthew 20: 26 – 28

This is a continuation from yesterday’s study on leadership. We started looking at the characteristics of servanthood leadership. Yesterday, we looked at patience and love. Today, we are going to look at selflessness, and peace-makers..

Characteristics of Servanthood Leadership

4. Selflessness

Servant leaders put others first. Their personal interests are secondary. This is a rare quality in today’s leadership. ‘What’s in it for me’ attitude has destroyed nations, congregations, families and organizations. In most cases, leadership is coveted not for serving others, but for personal gain. Today’s politics is bread and butter. Hence, everyone is fighting to go into politics and hold a political position. This is because, politics is a lucrative business. And this attitude has also crept into the church space, and corruption is rife in church too.

Abandon every display of selfishness. Possess a greater concern for what matters to others instead of your own interests Philippians 2: 4

5. Peace-maker

So then, make it your top priority to live a life of peace with harmony in your relationships, eagerly seeking to strengthen and encourage one another. Romans 14: 19

A leader should prioritize peace over been right all the time. It’s better to lose an argument than lose a relationship. Leaders unite people, and settle the differences between people. They are mediators, and not menaces. Leaders do not divide family members, and do not bring hostility in families. They are concerned about the peace in families. Lately, we have seen the kind of leaders that have been very divisive of families. Children have turned against parents, and parents against children. Peace-maker leaders do not go round with a ministry of witch hunting. The ministry of the church is reconciliation.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation 2 Corinthians 5: 18