Leadership – What Makes a Great Leader?

By Xh TxiajPov Lis

John 13:12-17, NIV

¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Leadership is often defined by position—the person in charge is the leader. Leadership, however, is not a position. Rather it is the qualities of a person to motivate and inspire others, to have a clear vision and path to realize it, and the ability to support and encourage others to grow in their own capacities. A true leader can influence and positively impact others regardless of their hierarchical position as they serve.

Jesus said to His disciples if you want to be great, you must become a servant (John 13:12-17). Of course, this would have sounded like nonsense to first-century ears. Jesus’ words go against the grain of the way our sinful hearts are wired. We think that the greatest among us shall show him or herself superior, in this way or that way, but Jesus totally turns that on its side and says, “No. The greatest among you is the one who is serving, the one who is putting others’ interests above their own.

On that very last night of His earthly ministry, He demonstrated by taking off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. After that He asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”

In that room, at that very moment, you could have heard a pin drop after Jesus washed each of His disciples’ feet. And so, then what if we lived out of the overflow of that, and we had the same posture toward the world around us. Toward the people in our homes, toward friends, neighbors, people we work with, and we just said, “I am their servant.” If we just see ourselves that way, with that kind of posture and perspective, it would change the way we live, if we looked at ourselves as servants of others.

Peter can clearly recall what Jesus taught him and the rest of the disciples. He writes in his first letter to the early Christians by saying, “I appeal to you to be shepherds of the flock that God gave you and to take care of it willingly, as God wants you to, and not unwillingly. Do your work, not for mere pay, but from a real desire to serve. Do not try to rule over those who have been put in your care, but be examples to the flock.” (1 Pet. 5:2-3). He balances the other end as he shares to the younger ones by saying, “In the same way you younger people must submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you must put on the apron of humility, to serve one another; for the scripture says, “God resists the proud, but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, then, under God’s mighty hand, so that he will lift you up in his own good time.” (1 Pet. 5:5-7).

Leadership, in simple terms, is the ability to inspire, guide, and influence others towards achieving a common goal by first serving and setting the example. All of the disciples were inspired in such a way that they all preached this very Gospel to the rest of the world. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians: “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:7-8).

May we lay down our lives, our pride, our reputation, to share the gospel with those who don’t know it. May we ask God to help us to be servants of others- to have this kind of heart, transform our hearts, our minds, our perspectives. Let us not think like the world thinks and live like the world would encourage us to live. May we lay down our lives today as servants of people all around us. Let us have the posture of Jesus in our very lives. (Philippians 2:5-11). Have your attitude, your mind, your heart, the heart of a servant. Make that your aim in life.

Have a blessed day!