What does it mean to be a servant leader?

Luke 22:25-27Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, . . . But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.”

John 13:4-5, 12-14So he [Jesus] got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. . . . After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.”

Philippians 2:5-9You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names.

Jesus revolutionizes our understanding of leadership by teaching and exemplifying downward mobility. In a most striking picture of servanthood, Jesus humbled himself through obedience. By washing his disciples’ feet, the task of a slave, Jesus modeled how far we should be willing to go in serving one another.

Matthew 20:32When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Servant leaders listen and respond to the needs of those around them.

John 13:4-5So he [Jesus] got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

Servant leaders are willing to perform any task that they are in the position to delegate to others.

Luke 1:38Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”

The essence of servant leadership is doing what God asks us to do.

Mark 10:43-44“Among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.”

Luke 14:27“If you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.”

We must learn to follow before we can learn to lead.