Daily Reflections ...

What does Jesus mean here? He says to be great, we must be a servant; to be first, we must be a slave. Does this mean the leader of an organisation should sit at the reception desk and clean the building every evening? I have often heard this used to justify a kind of leadership where the leader does everything; and becomes a martyr for the desires of others.

But I don’t think this is what Jesus is asking of us. To be truly great, to be a servant leader is to give of oneself in service of others. It’s to ask at every moment of your day, how can I best use this time to support my family, my parish, my team, and those I lead so that our purpose can be fulfilled; our mission can be achieved?

For a mum, to be a servant leader for her children doesn’t mean that she runs herself ragged ensuring the house is clean, and the meals are perfect. Sometimes to be a servant leader as a mother is to leave the list undone and be present with her kids.

Servant leadership doesn’t mean doing everything for everyone all the time for a leader in a workplace or even a parish. Sometimes it looks like leaving work on time to ensure you’re getting a healthy work/life balance, and sometimes it looks like leaving work a little late to complete that final piece of a project.

Servant leadership looks to the heart of a leader. Ultimately, it asks us to look at our motivations and ask, “Am I giving over myself in service of others and the call and the mission God has placed on my life? Is the way I’m living my life encouraging those I lead to respond to God’s call in their lives, live their life to the fullest and ultimately be servant leaders themselves?”

by Teresa McGrath