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Date: Jun 14, 2006 Previous | Next
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT? #13
WHAT SERVANT LEADERSHIP IS ALL ABOUT
In 1970, at the age of 66, Robert Greenleaf published “The Servant as Leader,” the first of a dozen essays and books on servant leadership. Since that time, more than a half-million copies of his books and essays have been sold worldwide.
Still today, occasionally you find business leaders like Marlo Boux who strive to put Greanleaf’s philosophy into practice by leading through serving. A November 5, 2005, press release reports the story of Marlo Boux. She is a business consultant who discovered that thousands of moms across North America are trying to make ends meet by working from home. Many of these moms, however, could never afford the services of a much-needed coach.
Marlo is quoted in the article as saying,
During my coach training, it was repeatedly stated that you should never compromise your asking price with a client. The idea being that doing so would devalue your services. When I initially set up my fee schedule, I kept these business principles in mind and determined my fees according to my educational background, experience, and the cost of doing business alone. I didn’t anticipate so many women working from home…. These women were in no position financially to afford a coach. One evening I awoke at 4:00 A.M. to attend to my infant daughter and the Holy Spirit had a message for me: your job is to advance God’s Kingdom by supporting moms working from home, leave the bottom line to me.
In obedience to God, Marlo changed her business strategy. If her clients can’t afford her suggested fees, then she works for free. She explains, “Jesus wasn’t an elitist—He was a servant leader. His message is for all who will listen and embrace it. He uses ordinary people like me to advance His Kingdom every day. I want to be a part of that.”
That’s a radical business plan, isn’t it? “You set your own price. I’m just here to serve you.” Imagine if the Cadillac dealer in town tried that—“whatever you want to pay for the car is fine.”
Well Marlo’s business model predates Robert Greenleaf by many centuries. It’s at
least as old as the apostle Peter. In his letter to the first-century Christians, Peter challenges us to practice the principles of servant leadership. You may recall our study in chapter 3 where Peter addresses wives, then the husbands, then he speaks to all who would claim the name of Christ. Peter follows a similar format in this passage. He speaks first to the elders, then to the young, then to all of us. Notice first what he has to say to the elders of the church.
“1To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed…” (1 Peter 5:1).
Peter alludes to the sufferings of Christ and claims that he himself is a witness to this pain. This is a reminder to all who would lead—particularly in the church—that there is a price to be paid. Servant leadership is not for wimps.
I’ve heard of a preacher who quit the ministry after 20 years and became a funeral director. When asked why he changed, he explained, “I spent three years trying to straighten out John, and John’s still an alcoholic; then I spent six months trying to straighten out Susan’s marriage but she filed for divorce; then I spent two years trying to straighten out Bob’s drug problem and he’s still an addict. Now at the funeral home when I straighten them out—they stay straight!”
The work of the church leader can be difficult at times. Peter understood this and reminds his readers that he is a witness of Christ’s sufferings. But he also reminds us that to lead is to share in the glory of Christ. So he insists that elders in the church “2Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care,”
The King James Version translates it like this: “Feed the flock of God.” No doubt Peter is remembering that conversation that he had with Jesus that is recorded in John 21 when Jesus asked him, “Peter, do you love me.”
“Of course I do,” Peter replied.
You remember the command then that Jesus gave? “Feed my sheep.” Three times Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?” Three times He commands Peter, “Then feed my sheep.”
Peter passes along this command to the leaders in the church. “Feed the flock of God” he says in verses 2-4, “serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing,”—in other words, because you are a servant leader—“as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”
“Your reward will come,” Peter assures those who will take up the cause of servant leadership. “So serve the flock.”
Perhaps you remember the fable of "The Last Wish of Horville Sash.” The tale offers a good picture of servant leadership. Horville Sash had a very humble job in the offices of the largest corporation in the world. He worked as a mail clerk in the basement of the building doing what he could to help other people with their jobs. Often he wondered what happened on the floor just above his.
One day, Horville found a bug scurrying across the floor. Before he could stomp the life out of the bug, it spoke: “Please don’t kill me,” said the bug. “If you let me live, I’ll give you three wishes.”
Horville played along—never expecting the bug to make good on the promise. The bug asked Horville what he wanted for his first wish. “To be promoted to the second floor,” came the reply. The next day Horville’s boss promoted him to the second floor.
Soon Horville heard footsteps on the floor above him. He said to the bug, “My second wish is to be promoted floor by floor until I reach the very top. I aspire to be CEO of the company.”
“Done,” said the bug, and floor by floor Horville moved north through the ranks: 10th floor, 20th floor, 50th floor, 90th floor, and finally to the very top floor, as CEO. He was as high as he could go…so he thought.
Then one day he heard footsteps above him. He saw a sign that said: STAIRS. He went up and found a rooftop and there he found one of his clerks near the edge of the building with his eyes closed.
“What are you doing?” Horville asked.
“Praying,” came the answer.
“To whom?”
Pointing a finger toward the sky the young man answered, “God.”
Panic gripped Horville. There was a floor above him? He couldn’t see it. All he saw was clouds. He couldn’t hear the shuffling of feet. “Do you mean there is an authority over me?”
Horville summoned the bug. It was time for his third and final wish. “Make me God,” he demanded. “Make me the highest. Put me in the kind of position only God would hold if he were here on earth.”
The next day Horville Sash awakened to find himself in the basement, sorting the mail, and doing what he could to help others be the best that they could possibly be. That’s how Horville Sash learned what Jesus meant when He said, “Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26).
Peter lifts up Jesus as the model for servant leadership for all the elders who would serve in the church. Next, in verse five, he addresses the young men.
“5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older.”
Notice the phrase, “in the same way.” In other words, everything that Peter has said to the overseers, or elders, applies to the young men as well. Then he adds the command, “…be submissive to those who are older.” Last week we unpacked this word “submissive” when Peter called wives to be submissive to their husbands. We learned that submission is not about lording over those who weaker or inferior. Submission is really about voluntary selflessness. It is not a position of weakness but of strength. In the same way that Christ lived a life of submission, that is, voluntary selflessness, so we too are called to be submissive—not out of fear or weakness, but out of choice and strength.
Next, Peter extends his challenge for servant leadership to all people who would claim the name of Christ. Verses 5 and 6 say this: “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Peter appeals to all of us--not just to the elders and the young men, but to all of us--he calls us to lead with humility and a spirit of voluntary selflessness.
So are you up to his challenge? Whether you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or a stay-at home dad, Jesus calls you to be a servant. Whether you’re leading a workforce or your family, you will have plenty of opportunities today to let those around you know that you are a servant. Embrace the tasks that others shun. Notice the needs of people around you. Seek to serve. And you will be great in the only kingdom that counts.
Well we’re winding down in this series called “WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?” But in many ways, Peter has saved his best counsel for last. Tomorrow we’ll look at characteristics of a healthy life in the message, WHAT SPIRITUAL HEALTH IS ALL ABOUT. Be sure to join us, won’t you? Until then, this is Lonnie Melashenko reminding you that it’s always true, friend, God loves you.
