This is a concept that I have long thought about, been trained in, and prayed about. For reasons not exactly known to me, I’ve been regarded as a “leader” throughout most of my life. Fortunately, I had amazing adults training me as a child so that I would know the true heart of leadership – a concept I later learned was called “service leadership”. Indeed, I still look back to those lessons when faced with a difficult decision.
Service leadership is, at its heart, putting the people you lead before yourself. Making their interests and desires YOUR interests and desires. Working to solve their problems in a way that both helps them learn to solve it themeselves, if possible, and still gets the job done.
Service leadership is a burden not to be taken lightly. It does not seek glory for itself, choosing instead to work in the shadows where possible. It means having no desire for self, only that the people be served to the best extent possible. Yes, this means that “leaders” who lack the heart of service leadership must be challenged from time to time – a seeming contradiction, if you do not know the service leader.
When a service leader speaks, it is to build up and to protect those whom he serves. His actions are to serve the same purpose.
Because he must protect those he serves, he must also be skilled in the art of combat in whatever arena may be called upon by his position. A general must be skilled in military combat or he is not worthy of the rank. A pastor must be skilled in spiritual combat or he cannot protect his flock from the wolves. A political leader must be skilled in political maneuverings or he cannot defend against others who would seek to harm his citizens.
Service leaders are both born and raised. Born, because the heart of the service leader is a gift of God. Raised, because the service leader must be taught how to lead and how to defend. He already knows in his heart how to serve.
Ultimately, service leadership is a choice. The servant leader must choose day by day, moment by moment, to seek his own glory or to serve his people. He must accept the call to leadership, and he must accept the burden it places upon him.
