The Path Of Greatness: A Journey Towards Servant Leadership And HumilitySýnishorn

The Lowest Place 

Having just finished his MBA at the University of Liverpool, Ashok was expected to join Frontline Logistics and become a senior manager. Many in the business expected him to be made the CEO within the next year two years. Ashok had always felt pushed into joining the company and knew that many people in the business coveted the CEO position which his dad was gearing him towards. 

Two years earlier two managers, Tom and Gerrard, had to be sacked, and one was even put in prison, because they had conspired with each other to frame a group of their senior colleagues so they would be removed. As an accountant Tom had fudged some numbers to show missing funds and Gerrard had planted cash in his colleague’s desks. Mr. Kumar, who was crafty in his own right, had been able to get to the bottom of it by extensive interviews and the help of a hidden CCTV camera he had put in each office which only he and the regional director knew about. 

In the police investigation, both Tom and Gerrard said they committed the crime to be promoted to a higher position in the company and win the coveted approval of Mr. Kumar. Ironically, their scheme had the opposite effect. 

In our fiercely competitive world, we don’t have to look far to see people climbing on each other’s backs to get to a more preferred place. The desired direction is generally upwards towards the ‘bigger and better’: the world’s standard of greatness which we read about yesterday. Philippians 2 says that Jesus, although in a position of power, did not desire to use it for any advantage. Rather, he chose to step out of his position of glory. Paul notes that Jesus took several steps down. He made himself nothing, like a servant, and into a man. To add to his humbled place he then, as a lowly servant, became obedient to a gruesome death. 

Paul uses the example of Jesus to encourage us to have the same mindset towards each other. Our interactions with each other should resemble the downward path of humility that Jesus took. The letter of Philippians also speaks to leaders. To have the mind of Christ in leadership is to not scramble for higher position, or even claim our own personal position, but to desire to take the lowest place so that others may be lifted. 

The image of the Christian Leader is symbolized by a dying man being brutally executed. Juxta positioned against the smart and sharp CEO of our day, the Christian image of leadership does not look very desirable, but it is the path we are to follow. The destination of such a path, however, means real glory and communion with Jesus, where we will be taken up to his place. 

In our personal interactions and leadership positions we are called to seek the lower path of humility. Not to brandish any power, but to hold loosely onto any position we have in order that others might be built up. 

A question to ask ourselves: If we were called by Jesus to do meager jobs well below our education or current position for an extended time, would we be willing?  

Prayer

God, this question challenges me.  I desire to live as Jesus did and to please you. I ask you to teach me.  Help me to understand how I can authentically live this life of humility, right here in my own city, in my own community, in my own environment, in my own family.