Serving Leadership According to Jesus

Picture a mother approaching Jesus with her two sons. She asks that they are awarded the highest positions in his coming kingdom. No doubt she wants what is best for them, but she is also positioning both them and herself for special privileges, power, and authority. Now picture the outrage of the other disciples. They're probably upset that their mothers hadn't thought of this first...I mean, who can turn down a mother requesting on behalf of her sons? Now they will be relegated to lesser positions and fewer privileges. How dare James and John make this move on them!

Consider this: All twelve wanted top spot. They all misunderstood the nature of Jesus' kingdom. Along with the mother of James and John, their desires were misguided. Jesus basically told them that they had no idea for what they were asking. He concluded with these words: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Jesus was leading an upsidedown kingdom where service would be the basis for authority, where power would give way to suffering, and where death would be conquered through dying.

Jesus strongly confronted the notion that our leadership is based on the world's version. His words bear repeating: "Not so with you." Greatness is serving—pouring ourselves out for the good of others. Even our desire for position and power is wrong. What a tragedy that Jesus' model of leadership has been largely missed by organizations defined by The Kingdom yet structured by hierarchy and positional authority.

[My next post will propose a definition for serving leadership.]