By Rick Sibert                                                                                                                                    May 2007  

Leading by Serving

Servant leadership – ingrained or learned? And while we’re at it, what exactly is servant-leadership?  I dare sat it’s almost a foreign concept to most.  I mean, you’re either a servant or a leader, right?  True Christianity says differently. 

A couple of ten-year old boys illustrated this for me in living color the other day.  I had stopped by the school where my children attend (a Christian school, mind you) to watch my son play in an after school basketball camp.

To give you a little background, at the beginning of the camp a few weeks ago, our varsity boys coach who runs the camp split everyone up into teams with designated “captains” choosing up their squads (probably not the best way to go about it, but I digress…) and naming their teams.  (My son, Sammy, “captains” and plays for the “Black Tigers”).  After the kids go through drills for about a half hour or so the court is divided and they play games, in which a few of the varsity players referee.  Sounds all well and good so far doesn’t it?  Stick with me….

I was sitting near the court, behind one of the benches, when a particular boy began to play out my thesis for me.  You see, he was the captain.  And since he was the captain, he wasn’t going to put a particular third grader (who hadn’t played yet) into the game for the second half.  Well, the coach got wind of this and quickly set the boy (we’ll call him “Robby”) straight.  But then it got real interesting!  (I should have had some popcorn!)  After the coach left, the team was preparing to take the court when another dispute arose between Robby and one of his peers/friends/teammates, “Charlie.” Both Charlie and Robby had played in the first half and Charlie politely asked if he could play the second half.  There was some disagreement, and then Robby stated that he was going in, because, after all….he was the captain…. 

As he walked back toward the bench, I felt bad for Charlie, whom I like a lot, but I just had to smile (just a little, out of the corner of my mouth).  You see, selfishness is what is ingrained in us; it’s part of our sin nature.  Serving others is not.  It has to be learned.  Or more properly, it has to be birthed into us.  On the way home, I used this as an opportunity to talk with my son about true leadership and selflessness.

For, in the New Testament, we have the supreme example of true Christianity in action do we not? Let me set the story up for you.  It’s Passion Week, and Jesus has entered Jerusalem for the final time, on His way to the cross.  It will be the night of his betrayal, and He has gathered his beloved disciples together for some final Kingdom teaching….

And when the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.

Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover

 with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is

fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”  (Luke 22:14-16)

Then, incredibly, after breaking bread and drinking in the new covenant (Mt 26:26-29, Mk 14: 2-25, Lk 22:17-20), there arose a “rivalry” among the disciples!  Can you imagine?  Having sweet fellowship with the Lord, and then bickering?  What were they bickering about, you ask?….Why, whom among them would be the greatest!

Let’s let doctor Luke and the Apostle John take it from here….

And He (Jesus) said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over

them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’  But

not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.  For who is greater, he who sits at the table or he who serves?  Is it not he who sits at the table?  Yet I am among you as the One who serves. (Luke 22: 24-27)…And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.  After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded…So when He had washed their feet, taken His garment, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done for you…(John 13:2-5, 12-15)

In case you’ve missed the drama in the scene – here is the King of the Universe, the one who created the very dust now covering the feet of his disciples, stooping to clean those same grungy feet!  So with the disciples arguing about their greatness in the coming kingdom, Jesus simply gathers up his robes, picks up the basin, and begins washing.  The Servant-Leader.  The Servant-King.  Amazing.

Do you know how unique this is?  No other religion teaches – and indeed models – such behavior.  That’s why Christianity is rightly described as a relationship.  A relationship between the loving Creator and His creation.  A relationship between brethren.

Not a restrictive religion.

Not a set of rules.

Not a list of do’s and don’ts.

Christianity is all about love.  Serving one another.   Loving your neighbor as yourself.  It’s radical thinking.  And, admittedly, it can be difficult.  Now, I’m no misanthrope, but I’ll be the first to admit that I can be very self-centered at times.  Especially when you are wired the way I am – performance oriented, someone who sets goals and strives to achieve them.  Sometimes – unintentionally - we “types” tend to see people as a necessary part of the process of getting from point A to point B.  My wife has to remind me from time to time that being a Christian - indeed being in the ministry - is all about….people!  (I sheepishly tell her I know that of course!…)  I’ll let you in on a little secret in case you are like me…Do you know the best part of this relationship with Jesus?  It’s when I am so close to Him that His love fills me up and then spills out all over everyone around me, and I suddenly become others-centered!  And I don’t even realize it’s happening!  That’s what being filled with the Spirit does.  God comes in and remakes you, day by day, into His image.

What about you? Do you need to release your captaincy? Do you need to turn over the control of your team to the One who gives you your very breath?….To the One who’s every thought toward you is good (even when you are bad)?

It only takes a simple recognition to get that relationship started – that He is God and you are not.  It’s that easy.  Come to the foot of the cross and repent and then watch how He begins to work in your life today.  Trust in Him, and He’ll do the rest!

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Editor’s Note:  Eternal Perspective is a monthly feature of Calvary Chapel Columbus and the commentary of Pastor Rick Sibert, focusing on living a Godly life in the midst of an ungodly world.