1 Corinthians 4:1-7
The greatest kind of leadership is servant-leadership. It’s the kind of leadership that is counter-cultural in so many ways. It’s not flashy. It’s not showy. It’s not shiny. It’s not all that attractive to power-hungry people. What it IS: The model that the early church exemplified.
The Apostle Paul was trying to help the Corinthians to realize that he, Apollos, Peter, and other church leaders in Corinth and beyond were simply servants of Christ. They were not there to “build a following,” “advance their careers,” or “become cultural influencers.” They were placed in their roles by God to give of themselves in sacrificial ways so that others could come to Christ. One of the most powerful things that Paul said to the Corinthians was that he really didn’t care what they thought of him. It was never his own popularity that motivated him.
Ask yourself this question: do I want to be a CEO or a servant? Because a CEO has power; a servant has privilege. A CEO has authority; a servant has adoration for his master. A CEO gives orders; a servant looks for opportunities where he can invest in the mission that God has given. How are you serving the Lord, our church, and the community in which you live? Remember, the polarizing claim of Jesus that should always remind us is a “servant is not greater than his master”: “For even 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). Are we trying to be “better” than Jesus by acting as if we are “above” what he did and is asking us to do?
My pastor gave me an illustration years ago that I will never forget. He said that if you really want to see if someone is a servant or not, challenge them to do a menial task. How they respond to your request will give you your answer. Oftentimes, people would ask him if they could “lead” in some way in the church, so the very first thing he would do is give them a broom. They would strangely glare at him and then ask him what the broom was for, at which point he would tell them to go and sweep the parking lot. How they reacted or responded to him would give the true answer. A SERVANT-leader is NOT above any task. Paul, Apollos, and Peter were servant-leaders making much of Jesus!
One thing that Paul found confidence in was that God is the judge of a man’s motivations, not him. While God has called us to confront sin in our churches, he has not called us to “judge another man’s motivations” for service. Ultimately, God is the judge of “why” a person does what he does. Someday God will hold all men and women accountable, including you and me, so it’s best that we focus on our own hearts. How are you focusing on your own heart motivations? Why are you serving in a particular area of ministry? Is it to impact kids, or is it to “hover over” your own children? Is it to advance the Gospel, or is to “hang out” with your friends? Is it to glorify God, or is it to “gain the praise” of men?
One thing that I love about the Apostle Paul is that he was a principled man. He didn’t allow his influence to go to his head. Instead, he stuck with the truth of God’s Word that he knew and the direction of the Holy Spirit that he experienced. His biggest point was that any knowledge, speaking ability, leadership capacity, personality engagement, etc. came from God! ALL OF IT CAME FROM GOD, SO HOW COULD HE BOAST ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HE DID NOT CREATE IN HIS OWN STRENGTH?! Wow! What if we let that above statement settle in for a minute?! It might change our lives forever!
So, are you a CEO or a servant? A CEO needs attention, awards, acclaim, and accolades. A servant needs influence and impact for a cause much greater than himself. He just wants to be a tool in his master’s hands.
The Apostle Paul was trying to help the Corinthians to realize that he, Apollos, Peter, and other church leaders in Corinth and beyond were simply servants of Christ. They were not there to “build a following,” “advance their careers,” or “become cultural influencers.” They were placed in their roles by God to give of themselves in sacrificial ways so that others could come to Christ. One of the most powerful things that Paul said to the Corinthians was that he really didn’t care what they thought of him. It was never his own popularity that motivated him.
Ask yourself this question: do I want to be a CEO or a servant? Because a CEO has power; a servant has privilege. A CEO has authority; a servant has adoration for his master. A CEO gives orders; a servant looks for opportunities where he can invest in the mission that God has given. How are you serving the Lord, our church, and the community in which you live? Remember, the polarizing claim of Jesus that should always remind us is a “servant is not greater than his master”: “For even 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). Are we trying to be “better” than Jesus by acting as if we are “above” what he did and is asking us to do?
My pastor gave me an illustration years ago that I will never forget. He said that if you really want to see if someone is a servant or not, challenge them to do a menial task. How they respond to your request will give you your answer. Oftentimes, people would ask him if they could “lead” in some way in the church, so the very first thing he would do is give them a broom. They would strangely glare at him and then ask him what the broom was for, at which point he would tell them to go and sweep the parking lot. How they reacted or responded to him would give the true answer. A SERVANT-leader is NOT above any task. Paul, Apollos, and Peter were servant-leaders making much of Jesus!
One thing that Paul found confidence in was that God is the judge of a man’s motivations, not him. While God has called us to confront sin in our churches, he has not called us to “judge another man’s motivations” for service. Ultimately, God is the judge of “why” a person does what he does. Someday God will hold all men and women accountable, including you and me, so it’s best that we focus on our own hearts. How are you focusing on your own heart motivations? Why are you serving in a particular area of ministry? Is it to impact kids, or is it to “hover over” your own children? Is it to advance the Gospel, or is to “hang out” with your friends? Is it to glorify God, or is it to “gain the praise” of men?
One thing that I love about the Apostle Paul is that he was a principled man. He didn’t allow his influence to go to his head. Instead, he stuck with the truth of God’s Word that he knew and the direction of the Holy Spirit that he experienced. His biggest point was that any knowledge, speaking ability, leadership capacity, personality engagement, etc. came from God! ALL OF IT CAME FROM GOD, SO HOW COULD HE BOAST ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HE DID NOT CREATE IN HIS OWN STRENGTH?! Wow! What if we let that above statement settle in for a minute?! It might change our lives forever!
So, are you a CEO or a servant? A CEO needs attention, awards, acclaim, and accolades. A servant needs influence and impact for a cause much greater than himself. He just wants to be a tool in his master’s hands.
Posted in Devotional