Every child longs to hear words of love and affirmation from their father. Some hear these precious words but unfortunately many do not. Those who do not hear these words often live their lives trying to hear the same words from others. Jesus heard these words from His Father at His baptism. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17). The three phrases that Jesus received from His Father powerfully affected His life and leadership. They freed Him to live and lead as a servant. Servant leaders also learn to hear these words and allow them to shape their leadership.

“This is my son…” affirms identity.

Jesus heard His Father’s voice and it provided an affirmation of His identity. There was no question in Jesus’ mind that He belonged to His Father. When questioned about His background or authority to teach, He could respond calmly and confidently. He had nothing He needed to prove to others. His secure identity finally allowed Him to serve His disciples by washing their feet. Leaders who don’t hear these words seek to prove who they are and to show that they are someone great. Servant leaders hear their Father call them His child. They recognize their own adoption as a child of God and rest in that knowledge. Their identity with Jesus provides security. They no longer need to prove to others that they belong. Their leadership flows out of intimacy with their Father. They don’t lead to prove their identity; they lead because they belong to their Father. Some lead to be someone; servants lead because they are someone.

“Whom I love…” instills significance.

These words from the Father told Jesus that He was deeply loved. These words met one of His deepest human needs, to know He was loved and therefore significant. As a leader who was deeply loved He could pass that love on to many others in His ministry. Leaders who don’t hear these words seek to show others that they are significant. They strive to impress those they lead. They use their leadership to meet their own emotional need to be significant. Their focus is on themselves. Their lives cry out, “Please love me. Tell me I’m significant.” Servant leaders hear the Father say, “I love you.” These words of unconditional love meet the deep need in their soul to be significant. When they realize that they are deeply loved, they can share love with others. They don’t lead to gain significance; they lead because they are significant. Some lead to be loved; servants lead because they are loved.

“With him I am well pleased” provides affirmation.

Jesus received this affirmation from His Father before He began His public ministry. He had not yet preached to crowds or performed any miracles. His knew His Father’s affirmation was not based on His performance but was given as a gift. Leaders who seek affirmation need to impress others. They work hard to be bigger or better than the rest. They are desperate to prove that they are good enough. Servant leaders hear their Father say, “I am pleased with you.” They no longer need to perform to show they are okay. They don’t lead to be affirmed; they lead because they are already affirmed by their Father. Some lead to be affirmed; servants lead because they are affirmed.

Servant leaders learn to stop and listen to the voice of the Father. His voice shapes their life and leadership just as it did for Jesus. Take a moment today to hear the Father’s voice.

For further reflection and discussion:

• What is the basis of your own identity? Is it in your family name, your position, or your education? Or does it come from who you are in Christ? What difference will it make in your leadership if you hear the voice of the Father say, “You are my child…you belong to me”?
• How do you think God feels about you? Are you fully convinced of His unconditional love or do you feel that you need to try harder and do more to ‘earn’ His love? What difference will it make in your leadership if you hear the voice of the Father say, “I love you”?
• Do you honestly feel good enough for God to accept you or do you feel like you always need to do more to gain His approval? What difference will it make in your leadership if you hear His voice saying, “With you I am well pleased”?
• Reflect on the following verses that reveal the Father’s heart for you. Write down what He is speaking to you as you meditate on them. (Isaiah 62:5; John 1:12; 15:15; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 8:1, 15-16, 31-39; 1 John 3:1)

The first question Moses asked God was a question of his own identity. He needed to know who he was as a leader. We saw in the last issue that God answered Moses’ question, “Who am I?” with “I am with you” (Exodus 3:12). For servant leaders, the key to personal identity comes from knowing who God is. So Moses moved on to a second question all servant leaders must ask, “Who are you?” Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’“… Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers– the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob– appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt…The elders of Israel will listen to you.(Exodus 3:13-18, portions).

Moses’ second question shifts the focus from personal identity to God’s identity, “Who are you?” This is a question of his relationship to God; it’s a question of intimacy. Before servant leaders can be effective in their leadership they need to settle the question of how their relationship with God will impact their leadership. The identity of a servant leader flows out of an intimate relationship with Jesus. This intimacy provides for them the courage, clarity, and certainty that God gave to Moses.

Intimacy provides courage.

Moses was afraid that people would not listen to him. After all, he was just a shepherd from the desert. But now he was claiming to be sent by God Himself. He was to say, “I AM has sent me to you.” Moses was not courageous on his own, but when he began to lead out of intimacy with God he gained courage. Servant leaders do not manufacture courage on their own, they rely on their relationship with God to give them courage. They are not courageous because they have ability, training or knowledge but because they have a relationship with God. Their courage flows out of their intimacy with God.

Intimacy provides clarity.

Moses was not very clear about what he would say to people. He was confused about who he was. He didn’t know how he would answer the questions that were sure to come. But God instructs Moses, “This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.”

Moses was focused on who he was; God called him to focus on who God was. This clarified the mission.

Moses was not to lead on his own mission. His relationship with God provided clarity that the focus was on God. Servant leaders are clear on their mission; it is not their own, it is a mission from God. If you are leading on your own mission, you are on your own. But as you lead from intimacy it becomes clear that it is not about you; it is about the one who calls you and walks with you on your leadership journey. Servant leaders clarify that the mission is not the focus; the person who calls them is the focus.

Intimacy provides certainty.

Moses questions whether people will even listen to him. He was not convinced that he would be able to accomplish what God called him to do. But God responds, “The elders of Israel will listen to you.” If Moses would base his leadership on his intimacy with God, he could be fully certain that he would accomplish the mission. This confidence would come as he focused on his relationship with God, not on himself. Leaders who lead out of self-confidence cannot be certain of success. But servant leaders who lead out of an intimate relationship with Jesus lead with certainty that God will grant them favor with those they lead. They are certain that the One who calls them will go before them. Their confidence in leadership flows out of their relationship with God.

God shifts Moses’ focus from his own identity to who God is. He calls Moses to focus on the “I AM” who was the chief leader. As Moses learned to rest in this relationship, his ability to lead increased dramatically. All servant leaders can strengthen their leadership by strengthening their intimacy with Jesus.

For further reflection and discussion:

• In my leadership do I focus primarily on my own identity or intimacy with Jesus?
• In what ways does my leadership flow out of intimacy with Jesus? What blocks that relationship?
• What actions can I take to strengthen my intimacy with Jesus?
• Does my leadership display courage? Is this courage flowing out of my own ambition or does it flow out of a conviction that I am doing what God has called me to do?
• Is my mission as a leader clearly about God’s call or is it more about my own plan? How would greater intimacy with Jesus clarify the mission?
• On what do I base my expectation of success, my own ability or God’s call?