Thanks for joining us on this journey of building a consistent habit of reading our Bibles every day. The Bible reading plan we are using this year can be found here: One Year Bible or here on the Bible app. As always, if you miss a day, don’t feel compelled to go back and catch up. Just skip it and start back on today’s date. I am reading the NLT this year, but feel free to use whatever version you prefer. Now here are some thoughts from today’s readings:
But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.
– Luke 22:26
We like to say that things are backwards in the kingdom of God compared to the way they are in the world, but is that really the case? If we examine our lives, I think we will find that this verse has always been operating as truth. Those who serve others tend to move up in leadership. In fact, the reason godly leaders decide to grow in their leadership skills is that they want to serve others better and at a higher lever. Leadership, in Jesus’ view, should be the ultimate act of servant-hood.
Now, this verse is usually used to challenge leaders to be servants, but I would like to take it to a different audience. I would like to use this verse to challenge servants to become leaders. It’s much easier to see ourselves as servants than leaders, but, as we have said already, leadership is the ultimate act of leadership. So, if you really want to serve others at the highest level, you are going to have to do the hard work of leadership development. Others need you to do it. We all feel called to serve, but we don’t all feel called to lead. My challenge to you is to see that they are one and the same.
As a final note, leadership is not a title or a position, its influence, and you have more of it than you know. Don’t wait until someone notices your leadership potential to start growing in leadership. Start reading books on leadership now. Start applying those principles to what you’re already doing. Ask God to help develop you into the leader He has called you to be so that you can serve the people He has called you to serve to the best of your ability. That’s what being a servant really looks like. The servant doesn’t have to be “the” leader, but they do need to recognize that they are “a” leader; and if you’re a leader, might as well be the best you can be!
What do you need to do to develop your leadership? Who do you know who is a step or two ahead of you in leadership?