This world continues its descent into chaos. Every morning I have to actively resist not falling prey to fear. The news is all about terrorism; life as it was has disappeared. We are at a pivotal point in history.
I remember my elementary social studies class, learning about the American Revolution in the late 1700’s, the World Wars, the civil rights movement — all shaped the world I lived in. Those events were defined as “history,” which I interpreted as events that would never happen again, certainly not in my life time. I could not imagine that I might one day find myself amid circumstances that would create the history of future generations. I would never have dreamed of the hardships our world is currently facing and that will endure for years to come.
This world has been consumed by fear, anger, hate and suffering. Life seems surreal because I have only read about similar circumstances in fiction. So I ask the question: what am I supposed to do when faced with all this? I have never wanted to be a leader — leaders have too much responsibility, and I have always been a people-pleaser, not a people director. Making everyone happy is an impossible task! If I were to fail someone or receive criticism from another, I would not be able to handle it well.
During quarantine, I signed up for a spiritual leadership course, and one of the teachers talked of what it meant to be a servant leader. He made the point that in order to be an effective leader, leadership must be defined differently. The world places leaders in positions of power, requiring them to display aggressive strength as they govern people. This is not the type of leader Jesus Christ was; instead, He took the position of a servant, laying down His own life for His people.
“For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
~ Mark 10:45
This world desperately needs leaders, but the great ones will not come from expected places, nor will they be prestigious and well-to-do. Jesus calls His people again, asking us to follow His example and serve our neighbors the way we would want to be served.
I see this world falling farther and farther away from the teachings of the Church and Jesus Christ, and it is heartbreaking. This world is no longer my home; nothing in it is familiar or comfortable any more, but the people in it are still my brothers and sisters, and I love them, even if they are my enemies. I pray each day that I will find the courage to be a servant of all, and to lay down my life as Jesus did, for their salvation.
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Originally published at Kitty in the City.
Photo: Omar Rodriguez, Unsplash / PD-US
3 thoughts on “Servant Leadership”
You have put my thoughts into your words. I feel so disconcerted with what I open my PC to every day, but my prayer life sustains me. Thanks be to God.
If only the leaders of our country today would follow the model of servant leadership! I am certain we would all benefit, and we could use some guidance from our Lord Jesus Christ given the current situation caused by the COVID 19 virus and terrorism. May you stay strong and keep sharing your faith and hope in your words.
“the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
Do you see? Joseph did not have CNN, or the New York Times, so you need not “fear missing out” on the news. When my wife moved into my house, she asked that I set up the Television. It was on the basement floor in “storage” (dripped upon by a leaky pipe). She soon realized why it was treated as such, and we haven’t watched in 20 years.
I fixed the pipe.