“A qualified leader is one that has learned to serve.”
This is a very significant observation. In fact, this was one of the hardest lessons for the twelve disciples to learn. Jesus continued to deal with this -- right up to the end of his earthly ministry.
It is possible that Jesus washing the disciples’ feet the night before his death finally got to them, but I rather think that it was the empowering of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost that radically changed their lives.
After Jesus returned to the Father, the disciples were united. They were put in jail, forbidden to preach the gospel, and evangelised Judea and Samaria. Remarkably, James, the brother of Jesus, and not one of the twelve Apostles, became the head of the Jerusalem church. And through all this, there is no hint of any of the disciples squabbling over who would be the greatest. Only God could have orchestrated such an arrangement.
What this shows us is that learning to serve does not come by self-motivation. The world’s mindset is self. When self is at the controls, serving others is only a means of serving self.
Even for Christians, it’s not easy to change. We embody the same hierarchical approaches embodied by the world. It takes time, as demonstrated by the twelve disciples. Romans. 12:1-2. “…offer your bodies as a living sacrifice…Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
Only God can turn water into wine, and only God can turn sinners into servants.
Siga Shagran
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