Humility and Leadership

Humility and leadership seem to be contradictory to each other.

Think with me for a moment on what people would like to see on an application of someone applying for a position of leadership. They want to hear of assertiveness, hard bargaining, big reputation, clear vision, and great success. What do people think regarding humility? To most, the words of defeat, unknown, ineffectiveness, indecisiveness and the lack of success.

Would we want a humble executive to lead the company? What about a humble pastor? The world's definition for leadership, whether it be in or out of the church, is based on the model of "Want it; get it!"

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Jesus Christ left us no such picture of leadership or humility. One pastor has outlined five dangerpoints to pride:

• Pride harms our relationship with God
• Pride cuts us off from the blessings of God
• Pride robs glory from God
• Pride gives us false security
• Pride harms our relationship with others
  

If this is the case, we no longer need to wonder as to why many Christian ministries and church board meetings went awry. They are pride-configured; conflict is more noticeable than humility. Our minds go back to the request of the mother of two great disciples of Jesus. She wanted the two most esteemed positions for her two boys. We can't blame her for not asking!

"Thus the last shall be first, and the first last."

And as Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and will deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up."

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Him with her sons, bowing down, and making a request of Him. And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left." But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They said to Him, "We are able." He said to them, "My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father."
(Matthew 20:16-23).

We should firstly clarify that Jesus never rebuked them or their mother for seeking honored positions. This perspective is affirmed by Paul in 1 Timothy 3:1, "It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do." We shouldn't assume Jesus is rebuking their aspiration.

The problem that Jesus pointed to was one of preparedness. They asserted they were ready to drink Jesus' bitter cup, but, in fact, they were not ready at that point. God had more work in their heart to do before they were able to drink that great cup of humility. We observed their unpreparedness by the way they ran away from Jesus at the cross rather than staying by His side. Later on, though, we see the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. This reminds us of three points:

• We often think better of ourselves than we ought.
• We can have good aspirations but be unequipped for the job.
• God sometimes calls His disciples to walk the very humble path to martyrdom.
  

Jesus' response to the indignant disciples further challenges us.

And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself, and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. "It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:24-28).

Jesus did not quench their aspirations. They were good. However, Jesus in the end did reveal the rule by which true leaders would be found in the end. We see a contrast with the leaders that the world acknowledges. There is a clear difference.