LESSON 3: SERVANT

Ready

“... whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,” (Matthew 20:26).

Set

After my baseball career was over, I went to law school. I now practice law in the mornings and coach varsity high school softball in the afternoons.

I’ve been a lawyer for over twenty years—much of that time spent in firms where I hired and managed younger lawyers. In that time, I’ve seen good and poor leadership. The most consistent leadership flaw I’ve seen is viewing leadership merely as transactional. The flawed thinking goes, if I can get you to do what I want you to do today at a high level in furtherance of my goals, I’ve succeeded as a leader.

This transactional leadership style is hardly inspiring, yet many lawyers lead this way. Many coaches do too.

Servant leadership is different. It transforms and elevates others so that the overall mission is accomplished while each individual appreciates that they play a part in the success. This empowering style builds trust and inspires players. Servant leadership, as a manager or coach, is far better leadership, for at least two reasons.

First, servant leadership is more effective.

Servant leadership inspires others, as they feel an ownership role in success. It also produces leaders, as everyone feels empowered as a part of leadership. This doesn’t mean there isn’t a hierarchy and leadership structure (there has to be), but it does mean that servant leaders entrust others to also lead. Finally, servant leadership results in others’ willingness to go to battle for us.

Second, servant leadership is biblical.

We are called to serve. Jesus, in telling the disciples how the world seeks to lead simply by ordering others what to do, said, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26). Of course, Jesus had the credibility to preach servant leadership, for he was the ultimate servant leader.

Philippians 2:3–8 provides our model:

". . . Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!"

Go

1. What makes being a servant leader harder than merely a transactional leader?
2. In Matthew 20:25–27, why does Jesus say “the great among you must be servants”? Why does the kingdom of God value being a servant so much?
3. Read 1 Corinthians 9:19–23. Did Paul become a servant to all for his benefit or for others’ benefit? How are we tempted to lead for our own benefit?