Issue #380, August 21, 2024

Serving leadership produces thriving in people, organizations, communities and nations. But serving leadership is costly! Leaders who seek to serve consciously and consistently need to release things that are difficult to give up. Jesus talked about the “kings of the Gentiles” as typical leaders but called His disciples to a radically different form of leadership which we call serving leadership. In the previous issue we focused on how the disciples, like most leaders, were looking for positions. Jesus called His disciples to release that to serve. Power is the second area Jesus calls His disciples to release.

²⁴A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. ²⁵Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. ²⁶But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves (Luke 22:24-26, NIV).

Jesus’ observation that the Gentile leaders “lord it over them” and “exercise authority over them” highlights their desire for power and authority.

Serving leaders release power as a right.

All leadership roles come with power and authority. The Gentile leaders assumed they had every right to this power. They had likely worked hard to get into the position they occupied and so were not hesitant to use their power for their own advantage. As leaders they were “over them.” They expected people to instantly obey their every command and were ready to remind everyone of the power they possessed. So they lorded it over those they led and exercised authority over them. Power was their right. To this leadership approach Jesus tells His disciples, “You are not to be like that.” Jesus was not telling the disciples that they would not have power, in fact He strategically gave them power and authority (see Matthew 28:19-20). But He was calling them to release their right to have power. They were not called to “lord it over” but to serve. Some leaders see power as their right but serving leaders see power as a gift to serve others.

Serving leaders reject power as a measure.

Typical leaders see their level of power as a measure of their success. The more they have, the better they feel. They are quick to ask others, “Did you see how people moved when I told them….?” But Jesus says, “the one who rules” should be like “the one who serves.” Serving leaders reject power as a measure of their success or worth. Instead, they measure how well they are serving those they lead.

Serving leaders receive power as stewards.

The Gentile leaders saw their power as something to be exercised for their own advantage, it was their right. They had worked for their power and would now use it to further their own objectives. But serving leaders see power as a gift given to them for a greater purpose, to serve the organization, their teams, their customers and others. Their role is to properly steward the power entrusted to them. They do not focus on power over others but power for others. Paul is a great example of this attitude when he writes in 2 Corinthians 10:8, “the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down…” As a steward of the power received from the Lord, he focused on using that power to build others.

For further reflection and discussion:

What power do I have in my current role? (Reflect on the power your role carries with it and how your power is different than those under your leadership.)
What is my heart attitude towards my power? Do I see it as something I have earned or as a gift? Am I ever tempted to let others know the power I hold by asking, “Don’t you know I am the boss?” How has this impacted my ability to influence others?
If I view my power as a gift entrusted to me to serve others, how will that be reflected in the way I lead this week? How will it be reflected when I face opposition to my leadership?
As a serving leader am I ever tempted to not use power because I’m afraid I might misuse it? What might Jesus say to me about that?

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine how serving leaders pay the price of giving up prestige.