If Jesus Were Ceo

Matthew 20:20-28

Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

BUSINESS MODELS COME AND GO. Some have stressed strong, nearly authoritarian leadership. Others have emphasized leading by example or even by serving. All have their pros and cons, and examples of every kind are to be found in nearly every economic sector. But if Jesus were the CEO of a company today, how would he run it? What values would his company stress? How would he balance making enough profit to pay his employees and provide excellent service with giving charitable donations that bless the larger society? In what ways would he care for his staff and give them opportunities to grow? What would he expect from them in terms of excellence, attitude, work ethic, character, and work relationships? If he managed the business, what environment would he create there?

This may come across as a frivolous hypothetical situation—Jesus never showed any interest in running a business, did he?—but it has significant implications for everyone in business leadership or on a company’s staff. With a little rewording, those implications could easily be applied to nonprofit organizations too. The point is that Jesus is alive and active, not only as our intercessor at the right hand of the Father, but also as the living presence among us. His Spirit lives in us, guides us, and implements the Father’s will through us—at least ideally—in this world. So for those in any sort of business, what is the Father’s will?

Spend some time imagining what the salt and light of God looks like at a practical level in the overall organization and day-to-day operations of our enterprises today. From his words to his disciples, we know Jesus would lead by serving; he made that clear. But what would his service look like? How would it bless everyone involved? How would it serve society as a whole? Answering those questions will move you closer to a Kingdom perspective in your work, and that perspective might just change the world—or at least your corner of it—in profound ways.

{Jesus, you insisted that the way to greatness was to serve, not to gain power and command others. Give me a heart for service. Show me how to live a Kingdom life in the institutions of this world. Amen.