“…they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.” – Mark 9:34 (KJV)
There are some keywords that everyone desiring to lead should be cognisant of:
Servant – Someone who is hired or appointed to perform service;
Serving – To work for; helping;
Humility – the quality of being humble, low self-regard and sense of unworthiness.
Jesus desires us to be servants before anything else. In being servants, we are required to behave like little children. Children have an innocent mentality; their thoughts are Christ-like, pure, and compassionate. God can work with them, and He has made a promise: When you become like a child, you will enter the Kingdom of God (Matthew 18:1-4).
Verse 4 of Matthew 18 also confirms and clarifies that humility is the path to true greatness. Jesus does not just talk the talk, but He demonstrated that by the life He lived while on earth. In John 3:16, we read that God so loved the world, that He gave up His only begotten Son, and whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.’ This verse reveals the fullness of God’s humility and service, holding nothing back in order to save us. A quality that sets in train the momentum of the highest level of leadership.
Jesus knows and fashioned us; let us live for Him in humility and service to one another.
Permit me to share a testimony. I was just about to end a relationship. I spent quite a lot of time thinking about it, but it was not working. So, one day, a friend stopped and asked me to assist her with some work. I opted to venture out since I knew it would provide an income. I did not want to go back into that profession, but it was a skill I learnt from my prior career (bookbinding), so I did. Without realising it, it was the road that would take me beyond merely existing to contribute, share, and send my children to school. As a mother, I can modestly declare that my God is great, and He has not failed. I humbled myself, and so can you.
Read: Matthew 16:24-26; 1 Peters 5:5Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 79; Acts 21:27-40; Acts 22:1-21; 2 Kings 4:38-44; 2 Kings 5; 2 Kings 6:1-23
