In this day and age people are constantly looking for leaders in church, in business and in government. But how do we recognize them? Most of us have been conditioned to think about leadership in a worldly way. However, if we look at today’s Gospel reading, we find that leadership is different in God’s Kingdom.
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, request of Jesus to be seated next to him “in glory”. This angered the other disciples because they too wanted the same positions. Unlike the ten other disciples, Jesus did not get angry at them but used it as an opportunity to teach his disciples a lesson about leadership.
He calls the disciples together and says to them that whoever wishes to be great must be their servant, and whoever wishes to be first among them must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to give his life as a ransom for many (v43-45).
Christian leadership is servant leadership. Jesus says that serving others is the path to true greatness. Jesus not only teaches us this new path to greatness but he also lives it.
True leadership is about service to God and others and not about having power and influence over others. While we need to harness our God-given potential for leadership, we must never lose sight of the fact that we were created to serve God and one another.
According to Jesus, the path to true greatness is self-denial to become the servant of all. To sit on the throne with Jesus means to rule with him but to rule with him, we must also go through what he had undergone: to serve, to suffer and be ready to die. He is our ultimate model. As the Son of God, he humbled himself and became a servant of all.
The desire for power and status is an inherent longing in us. Power gives us some control in our lives. However, we get into trouble when our desire for power or status begins to control us. This is why Jesus desires that we serve others rather than be served. He wants us to use our energy to serve those in need, rather than striving for first place, or acclaim or power.
Today, let us ponder a few moments about our internal desire for power and acclaim. How deep is our desire to serve others? Which desire comes first in our lives?

PRAYER: Abba Father, may I serve those in need rather than striving for first place. Amen.