Issue #41, October 6, 2010
Leadership Nuggets from Ephesians, #5
Servant leaders practice the art of influencing from the bottom rather than dictating from the top. It’s an upside down approach to leadership that goes directly against our flesh and against most of the models we have experienced. Influencing from the bottom is hard to practice in the marketplace or school; it is even harder to implement at home where Paul tells us to do it in Eph. 5:21-33.
Read the entire passage with special focus on the following verses: “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord…Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…(vs. 21, 22, 25) In this passage Paul radically redefines leadership for both men and women and provides valuable insight into how we can influence from below.
Servant leaders influence through submission.
“Submit to one another.” Submit is not a popular word in leadership literature today and Paul obviously didn’t understand how to use politically correct language! However, submission is not a sign of weakness, inferiority, or stupidity. Instead, it is a conscious choice to yield to another. This kind of submission exerts a powerful influence on any relationship in the home or office. The person who yields, not out of weakness but from a quiet strength, gains the high ground of influence. Submission frees leaders from the tyranny of always needing to have things their way and can break the fighting spirit between two strong personalities. The act of yielding to another powerfully affirms the value of the other person because it indicates that he or she is important also. This is especially true when the submission comes from a person with positional authority.
To think about: In what ways today can I demonstrate submission in my leadership?
Servant leaders influence through surrender.
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” We don’t normally associate surrender with strong leadership, but Christ demonstrated servant leadership by giving Himself up for those who followed Him. This is demonstrated most clearly as He gave up His own life for the sake of those He came to lead. Servant leaders give up their own rights for the good of those they lead whether at home, in the marketplace or in the church. They ‘die’ to selfish desires and surrender their rights for the good of others. While it seems like this would not influence others, consider good advice given to King Rehoboam, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.” (1 Kings 12:7) Serving by laying down our rights and privileges exerts a powerful influence on those we lead.
To think about: To what extent do I lead by surrender?
Submission and surrender do not negate the need for decisive, action-oriented leadership. Neither do they imply that we can never press for the implementation of our ideas. Rather, they provide great opportunities for servant leaders to influence from the bottom just like Jesus Himself! Will you take the risk today to learn a new way of leading?
For further reflection and discussion:
- What keeps me from practicing submission and surrender in my leadership? In what ways does my culture or environment encourage or discourage this form of leadership?
- Is there a relationship I am in right now that has much conflict? What might happen if I consciously decide to yield to the other person?
- Do I always need to have things my way? When is the last time I have consciously yielded my desire to another? What was the result in my own heart and how did it impact the relationship?
- Are there times when yielding to another can be the wrong thing to do for a servant leader? If so, what principles guide our decision for that situation?