Sunday, October 20, 2024
Sunday Reflection: The (fake) Servant Leader
In Mark 10, we read this:
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Appoint us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39 They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to appoint, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
41 When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. 42 So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”
41 When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. 42 So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Ah, isn't that a familiar story? A couple guys try to get a favored position, then others find out and are mad.
Part of what is interesting here is that the story is about some seeking advantage (in the first paragraph) and others being upset at that (the second paragraph), but the lesson in the end is about... the nature of leadership!
There has been, of course, a certain interest in "servant leadership," often among business leaders who make 100x more than their workers. That form of servant leadership too often involves everything except selflessness and sacrifice-- what Jesus was talking about. Servant leadership has to go beyond mere empathy for those you lead, if Jesus is your example. You have to literally walk their walk.
I often tell my students that when they do the most important thing in their life, there probably won't be a parade. Instead, you might be castigated, embarrassed, fired-- because doing great things usually challenges the status quo in some way, and imposes that sacrifice.
