Leaders often focus on the task at hand and the mission they hope to accomplish, but pay little regard to their own bodies. Paul cautioned Timothy that his leadership was not only a matter of taking care of his soul but also taking care of his body. Consider these verses:  

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come (1 Timothy 4:8, NIV).

Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses (1 Timothy 5:23).

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers (1 Timothy 4:16).

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

Taken together, these verses remind us that our physical bodies matter to God and should not be neglected as we seek to lead well.  

Taking care of your body is spiritual.   

Paul calls Timothy to “Watch your life,” a broad call to pay attention to himself. Elsewhere, Paul makes it clear that this includes paying attention to the physical. We are each tempted to separate our lives into the physical realm and the spiritual realm with the spiritual being the most significant and worthy of all our focus. But Paul brings them together for Timothy and in his instructions to the church in Corinth.  It is possible to “honor God” with our bodies!

Some leaders see their care of their bodies as unrelated to their spiritual pursuits. But serving leaders recognize that God cares about how they treat their bodies—so they also care!

Taking care of your body is valuable.

Paul says “physical training is of some value…” Yes, godliness has more eternal implications than our physical health, but Paul concludes that both are valuable. He recognizes that Timothy’s “frequent illnesses” are worthy of attention as a leader. He urged Timothy to pay attention to his body! Years later, Robert Murray M’Cheyne, a Scottish minister, reportedly said, “God gave me a message to deliver and a horse to ride. Alas, I have killed the horse and now I cannot deliver the message.” He died at 29.

Some leaders prioritize their leadership growth around books, seminars, podcasts, and mental training with little regard to their bodies. But serving leaders seek to balance their physical and intellectual growth.

Taking care of your body is practical.   

Paul tells Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach.  He is not here addressing the broader question of the ethical use of alcohol; he’s giving Timothy practical medical advice. He wants Timothy to pay attention to what he puts in his stomach! When a stomach is growling, upset, or bulging, leaders should take practical steps to make needed changes. For other leaders, it may not be a food issue, but one of getting enough rest or getting sufficient exercise.

Some leaders focus on their vision and mission and the practical steps they will take to accomplish them. But serving leaders also get practical about taking care of their bodies and implement practical steps toward maintaining physical health. They are better leaders because of it!

For further reflection and discussion:

Are there ways I have seen my physical health as somehow less important or less spiritual than the care of my soul? How has this impacted my leadership?

What priorities have I established—or will establish—in my own life in the following areas:

• Adequate rest
• Healthy diet
• Sufficient exercise
• Appropriate medical attention
• Establishing Sabbath rest in my rhythms       

 What additional insights about the need for care of my body do I gain from the following passages? (Exodus 20:8-11; 1 Kings 19:4-8; Psalm 127:2; Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 6:31; Luke 5:15-16; Ephesians 5:28-29; and Romans 12:1).

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at how we care for our own growth.  

Many leaders know how to work hard; only a few know when it is time to rest. Yet rest is a part of God’s plan for all leaders. Creation introduced a rhythm of day and night. The concept of a weekly Sabbath rest was also introduced in the creation and repeated often throughout scripture. Jesus taught His disciples an important lesson in the following account. The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place (Mark 6:30-32). At the time of this story, the disciples had gone out for a time of ministry and accomplished many things. There were “many people coming and going.” It was an exciting time with signs of activity all around. Every leader dreams of this time when there are many positive indicators of growth. But instead of asking the disciples to work harder, Jesus led the disciples away from the work to a quiet place to rest! In doing so, He reminds all servant leaders that there is a time to work hard but also a time to rest. Why do servant leaders need rest?

Rest refreshes.

Rest refreshes us physically, spiritually and emotionally. Our physical bodies need a time of rest after activity. We can ignore this for a brief time, but finally, our bodies demand rest. A good night of sleep refreshes our physical body. Rest refreshes our spirit by taking us away from the demands of work that drain our spiritual energy. Rest allows us time to reconnect with God at a deep level. Rest also allows us to be refreshed from the intensity of emotion that comes as we interact with many people. Issues that disturb us look so different after we have a good night of sleep or a time away to rest. The disciples had completed a stressful time of labor and there was no end in sight. They were tired and needed to rest. Servant leaders acknowledge their need to be refreshed and accept the call to rest.

Rest refocuses.

Rest allows us to refocus our attention on the things that are most important. The disciples were nearly overwhelmed with the needs of the crowd and needed some time away to allow them to refocus their attention on the most important activities. Servant leaders use rest as a time to think and reflect, to assess priorities and current activities. They are able to refocus with clarity after a time of rest. They welcome rest because they acknowledge their own tendency to be busy doing the wrong things.

Rest reminds.

When leaders are busy with a lot of activity it is easy to believe that that they are indispensable. It is easy for a leader to think that he or she is the reason that things are happening. The disciples needed a reminder that the work of God would go on without them. Rest reminds servant leaders that they are not indispensable. Not everything will get done and not everything must be done. Visionary leaders easily believe that more work is the way to great achievement. Rest reminds servant leaders that they are human and cannot keep going all the time. Servant leaders welcome rest because they know they need another reminder of who they are and who they are not.

The example of Jesus teaches servant leaders that rest will not happen automatically; it must be planned intentionally. All leaders need time to rest and Jesus models the way. We would do well to listen to Him as He says to us, “Come with me…and get some rest.”

For further reflection and discussion:

• When I do not get adequate rest, how is my leadership impacted? What people are most affected? How does lack of rest impact me emotionally? Spiritually? Physically?
• What plans do I have to get adequate rest? Have I considered what I need to do daily, weekly, yearly? If not, what is God inviting me to do to begin?
• Do those I lead have time for adequate rest? Am I encouraging them, like Jesus, to stop and rest or do I keep expecting them to do more and more? What needs to change?

After David was anointed for leadership, his first recorded act was serving King Saul by playing the harp, a very unusual way of beginning a leadership career! (See 1 Samuel 16:14-23). Saul, like many leaders today, had a position of authority but led without God’s presence. He sought out David for his musical skill in hopes that his problems would be relieved. Although he surely had no idea that the young man with the harp would become the next king, he recognized God’s presence when David worshiped.

This account is much more than a demonstration of David’s skill in playing a musical instrument. It is the first indication of David’s heart for worship and his passion to be in God’s presence. His life story is filled with other examples of his heart for worship. I find over a dozen recorded times in his leadership that David deliberately invited God to guide him, asking for wisdom and direction for specific leadership decisions he needed to make. One of his first acts as a king was to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem, a defining moment in his leadership when he worshiped with abandon. David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets (2 Samuel 6:14-15). David’s heart of worship profoundly shaped his leadership and teaches all us why servant leadership flows out of worship.

Worship keeps our focus on God, not self.

Worship turns our eyes towards God and away from ourselves and our circumstances. Every leader daily faces the temptation to rely on self instead of God. We quickly develop confidence in our own ability to solve problems, make decisions and make things happen. Servant leaders, like David, resist this temptation as they worship. As David worshipped, he forgot about what others thought about him. He was not concerned with the titles or the privileges of his position. Immediately after this public event he went home to bless his family, showing that his priorities were realigned. Worship keeps our hearts tender towards God and allows God to deal with our pride, reveal our sin and to bring the joy of forgiveness. In worship we recognize that our leadership is not about ourselves but about God’s purposes for our lives. Worship is God’s gift which allows us to recalibrate our hearts and refocus on His plans instead of our own. Servant leaders find joy in regular rhythms of worship. They welcome God’s invitation to a weekly day of rest and worship and find other times as well to meet God in worship.

Worship provides space for God to guide.

David’s many acts of worship were invitations for God to come into his leadership space and provide direction to him. He often ‘inquired of the Lord’ before making a significant decision. Leaders are people of action and by default will rely on their own sense of direction to move forward. Servant leaders learn from David to stop, worship, and hear from God before moving. Worship invites God into our leadership space and as we listen for His direction He gives us the guidance we so desperately need. His direction will sometimes make sense to us but at times will be counterintuitive to our natural inclinations. Servant leaders seek this guidance.

David’s example as a worshipper invites us to be leaders after God’s own heart, allowing worship to shape who we are and how we lead. Servant leadership flows out of worship.

For further reflection and discussion:

• What times and ways have been most helpful for you to connect with God in worship? Do you plan regular times for this to happen?
• What daily actions can you take to open yourself more fully to God in worship?
• Reflect on God’s design for a weekly day of rest, the Sabbath. How have you experienced this in your own life and leadership? What can you do to strengthen the impact of this day on your leadership?
• What situations are you facing in your leadership now which need God’s direction? How is He inviting you to hear from Him in worship?
• Read 2 Samuel 6 and reflect on what you observe from David’s example.

Leaders are by nature action oriented and assume that doing more equals achieving more. But servant leaders learn the power of retreating from Jesus, the master leader. Mark records a profound incident during a busy season of Jesus’ ministry.

“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.” (Mark 6:31-32)

The situation facing Jesus has all the marks of success. People are “coming and going.” There was so much work that there was no time for food. This is exactly what leaders dream about! The church is filled with people; the business has customers waiting in line; the speaking invitations are pouring in and everyone is asking to see you! There’s not enough time to answer all the calls or respond to all the emails.

But in the midst of all this activity, Jesus tells the disciples to come away and rest. I suspect the disciples walked towards the boat shaking their heads in disbelief. How could Jesus ask them to stop at the height of their popularity? How can you serve people when you retreat? Retreating helps leaders advance in several ways.

Retreat provides perspective.

Getting away always produces a different perspective on life and work just like looking at the ground from a tall building or airplane. The big picture is easier to see. We find the true meaning of our labor and realize the true size of our problems. We recognize that the things we are investing heavily in are good but not the best. We acknowledge our human limitations. Quiet reflection brings a fresh perspective to all we do.

Retreat sharpens our focus.

When there are many things demanding our time and attention we lose focus. Priorities are blurred and we spend energy on less significant activities. The cry of the urgent quiets the voice of the important. Retreat helps us recognize when we have allowed our ministry, work, or business to take precedence over more significant relationships with God and family. We are able to refocus on the most important relationships and the most productive activities.

Retreat replenishes our strength.

As we find God’s perspective and regain focus we are able to return to the context of our work with renewed energy and vitality. Exhaustion is replaced with energy through retreat.

Servant leaders need times of retreat if they will continue to effectively meet the needs of those who follow. God graciously established in the laws of nature a time for rest and retreat. The Sabbath is a weekly time to refocus and be renewed that servant leaders learn to utilize. Seasons and years mark the passing of time and create points of reference for evaluation and reflection. Introverted personalities more quickly recognize their need for retreat and naturally are drawn to quiet times for reflection and renewal. Extroverted personalities find it harder to see the need for retreat and practice the discipline of rest. But Jesus still calls all of His disciples to advance through retreat. Are you willing to hear His call and walk away from the crowds to a quiet place?

For further reflection and discussion:

• When is the last time you turned off your phone and got away from all activity to retreat?
• Have you established a rhythm of times to retreat weekly? Seasonally?
• How does your personality encourage or discourage retreat?
• When you do not retreat, what are the warning signs in your leadership?