For me, this is the picture of true leadership!
Jesus, the King of kings, wore the mantle of leadership, yet, instead of wearing it as a robe of nobility He wore it around His waist, taking on the role of the lowest of servants.
In Christ's time, foot washing was common, everyone wore sandals and everyone walked everywhere. Feet got filthy, so, a common custom was to wash the feet of dinner guests. What was not common, what was actually unheard of, was the dinner host washing his guests feet. Foot washing was the job of a slave. In fact, not just any slave could perform this chore, only a non-Jewish slave was assigned this task. Non-Jews, Gentiles, were already regarded as dogs, so a Gentile slave was considered lower than a dog.
Jesus, just hours before being arrested, tried and beaten, lowered Himself to the point of the lowliest servant in the culture. Jesus did this to demonstrate true spiritual leadership.
Webster's defines mantle as: A figurative cloak symbolizing authority. Jesus shows us how to exercise that authority.
Not everyone is a leader in the typical sense of the word, yet everyone of us has a role in the Body of Christ. Everyone of us is entrusted with a specific role and gifted, supernaturally, to fulfill that role. God has granted each of us a mantle of authority over something. Many never take on that mantle and many others misuse the mantle of authority to benefit themselves. True leadership authority recognizes others as the secondary motivation, secondary only to bringing glory to God.
"This (Ministry) would be great if it weren't for the people!" These were the saddest words I have ever heard uttered from a pastor. No ministry is so important that the people are not a primary focus. If people are getting in the way of achieving your vision, you probably have the wrong vision. Spiritual leadership serves people. Spiritual leadership is wearing the mantle of authority around your waist and daring to stoop to the lowest position in order to lead others by example.
If you are part of a ministry or if you are serving with someone who views others as his servant and behaves like a king rather than a servant, run, don't walk, away from that ministry! The very word minister comes to us from Latin and literally means less servant. Imagine that! Today, the word minister carries an air of elevated authority. Can this be because the office of minister has been misused by many for personal benefit?
Servant leadership, true spiritual leadership, is recognizing our role as ministers is to serve others, not be served. Philippians 2:3 - Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Imagine if many of the peacocks we see in pulpits today were held to this standard! This is not a new phenomenon, the religious leaders in Christ's time were just as bad, and He called them out on it. Be a spiritual leader by serving others and watch God change the world around you!
Now, go live as Christ... and give the devil hell!
Jesus, the King of kings, wore the mantle of leadership, yet, instead of wearing it as a robe of nobility He wore it around His waist, taking on the role of the lowest of servants.
In Christ's time, foot washing was common, everyone wore sandals and everyone walked everywhere. Feet got filthy, so, a common custom was to wash the feet of dinner guests. What was not common, what was actually unheard of, was the dinner host washing his guests feet. Foot washing was the job of a slave. In fact, not just any slave could perform this chore, only a non-Jewish slave was assigned this task. Non-Jews, Gentiles, were already regarded as dogs, so a Gentile slave was considered lower than a dog.
Jesus, just hours before being arrested, tried and beaten, lowered Himself to the point of the lowliest servant in the culture. Jesus did this to demonstrate true spiritual leadership.
Webster's defines mantle as: A figurative cloak symbolizing authority. Jesus shows us how to exercise that authority.
Not everyone is a leader in the typical sense of the word, yet everyone of us has a role in the Body of Christ. Everyone of us is entrusted with a specific role and gifted, supernaturally, to fulfill that role. God has granted each of us a mantle of authority over something. Many never take on that mantle and many others misuse the mantle of authority to benefit themselves. True leadership authority recognizes others as the secondary motivation, secondary only to bringing glory to God.
"This (Ministry) would be great if it weren't for the people!" These were the saddest words I have ever heard uttered from a pastor. No ministry is so important that the people are not a primary focus. If people are getting in the way of achieving your vision, you probably have the wrong vision. Spiritual leadership serves people. Spiritual leadership is wearing the mantle of authority around your waist and daring to stoop to the lowest position in order to lead others by example.
If you are part of a ministry or if you are serving with someone who views others as his servant and behaves like a king rather than a servant, run, don't walk, away from that ministry! The very word minister comes to us from Latin and literally means less servant. Imagine that! Today, the word minister carries an air of elevated authority. Can this be because the office of minister has been misused by many for personal benefit?
Servant leadership, true spiritual leadership, is recognizing our role as ministers is to serve others, not be served. Philippians 2:3 - Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Now, go live as Christ... and give the devil hell!
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