Devotional for December 17

Max Greiner

       Servant       

He said, “You’ve observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads. It’s not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held  hostage.”      
- Matthew 20:25-28 (The Message) 

Servant Leadership is a concept that we teach in Scouts. Robert Greenleaf, who coined the term in his 1970 essay, talks about Servant Leadership in this way, “Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?”        

Instead of accumulation of power and “top down” benefits, Servant Leadership focuses on taking care of those being led and making sure that they have the opportunity for growth and development. It is putting the needs of others ahead of the needs of the ostensible leader. 

While Greenleaf coined the term, Jesus embodied the concept. Not only in what he said, as exemplified by the verses from Matthew above, but in how he lived. 

Jesus led by ensuring that all who followed, his disciples but also all of us today, could grow and reach their full potential and, further, could go on to be Servant Leaders themselves. Jesus was clearly a leader; but his leadership put our needs ahead of his. He was a servant to God and to us. How can we be  servants to others, this season and throughout the year?  Make me a servant, humble and meek, Lord let me lift up those who are weak,  And may the prayer of my heart always be  Make me a servant, make me a servant,  Make me a servant today. 

Cammie Edgar