READ: Exodus 29, 30; Psalm 40; Matthew 20:17-34
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 20:24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
OBSERVATION: If Jesus asks us the question, "What is it you want?", many of us would have given him an answer, like the the mother of Jacob and John. The other disciples who were present with Jesus also might have given a similar answer. They were indignant because they were jealous against the two disciples as their mother asked for a coveted position that everyone desires. But Jesus brought them together and taught an important lesson for the Christian Leadership. He sternly warned them not to be like the rulers of the world, but to be like him in doing humble service to humanity. Rulers, Lords, officials of this world may exercise their authority to rule and to control the people. But for a follower of Jesus, his message is , "Not so with you." Every Christian is expected to be a leader, not in the way the world functions but in the exact model Christ has shown us through his sacrificial life. Remember, it is not an option to choose or to reject.
APPLICATION: When I think of leadership, my mind naturally goes out to look at the existing models in the world, especially in the corporate world. The worldly organizational structures, strategies, and methods of exercising the leadership prowess are appealing to me. However, I must remember that even great leaders or organizations are prone to fall. In fact, many of them are wiped out when a new phenomenon or idea emerges out. But the model Jesus shown to his followers is appropriate in any period of time and highly beneficial to humanity. Jesus' "Servant-leadership" is continue to impact the world through every Christian who would like to follow him and to serve the people with a humble spirit. I have the great leadership model to follow, a great leader who successfully practiced this model till his last breath on the cross.
PRAYER: Jesus, thank your ever-green truth and the leadership model. Help me to serve my people with a heart of a servant leader. Amen.
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