servant leader

Matthew 20:17-34

 

Last night I had a chance to hang out with Beau for several hours while Brandi had a few hours with some girlfriends.  Beau and I had dinner, played catch/chase with a tennis ball, played guitar, read a book, and played with a giant top that sings a song when you spin it.   When Brandi got home, they played with the singing top a few minutes, and then Beau picked it up and brought it to me to spin it.  I felt like a hero!  I jumped up off the couch to take the top, which he was holding up in front of his face to give to me, but in the process my knee hit the top and knocked Beau straight in the mouth.  I felt like scum!  Of course, he started crying, wanted his momma, and didn't want to play with the top the rest of the evening.  It still hurts me inside.  To see the light and joy in a child's eyes when they want you to play with them, and then you ruin it by hurting them.  I don't ever want to do that again.

 

When I spoke to my Brother JJ on the phone a few days ago, he asked me, "What can I do to be a better servant-leader for my wife."   What a challenging question.  I know I have a long way to go in being a good servant-leader to my wife and son.  JJ, here is our prototype of servant-leadership:

¹⁷ And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, ¹⁸"See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death ¹⁹and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."

 

²⁵But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ²⁶ It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, ²⁷and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, ²⁸even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Do I really serve my wife?  What does she really need or want, anyway?  (Women are always so secretive about their true desires, despite their claims of dropping "subtle" hints, which are really just random comments that make no sense whatsoever from a guy's perspective.  But I digress.)  I don't feel like I really serve her.  Certainly not if you think about slavery in verse 27.  How can I serve her practically and spiritually?

 

How can I serve my son?  Obviously, I need to change diapers and feed him, but how about discipline and spiritual truth?  How should I be serving Him?

 

Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus and His model for us.  Lord, please help me see my wife, son, and everyone else through your eyes.  Help me see people's true needs so that I can serve them what they really need.  Lord, I feel like if I give my life away in slavery service to others, then I won't get the stuff done that I need to get done.  If I'm looking out for everyone else, who is looking out for me.  But I guess that's what Jesus meant when He said, "Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me."  I need to trust you with my life, Lord.  It's just hard sometimes.  Lord, please forgive my pride.  May I humbly follow you, love you, love others, serve you, and serve others.  Please annoint me with your presence today, and give me strength to follow you.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.