Новые времена Go back to the homepage Serving others – and feeling treated as a servant In the job market, we hear terms like "business leaders," "corporate executives," and entrepreneurs when referring to people in positions of influence and authority. But how often do we hear people refer to themselves as "servants" except when they complain? The term "servant" can be seen as demeaning to someone of seemingly lesser value. Some may even view it on the same level as the word "slave." But in fact, "servant leadership" is not only a legitimate term, but an empowering approach that can maximize performance at both the individual and organizational levels. We can find numerous examples of senior leaders who have taken on servant leadership, realizing the gifts and talents of employees and team members, empowering them to make the best use of them. But it requires a willingness to prioritize the needs and interests of others first and provide them with the issues that are important to them. The Bible says this in Philippians 2:3-4: "Do nothing [do] for covetousness or vainglory, but in humility esteem one another as superior to yourselves. Do not [only] each one care for himself, but each one also for others." It is normal for people in authority to expect special privileges and deference because of their position, but as the passage says, it takes humility to put the interests of others above your own. Servant leadership is not limited to top management and people in leadership positions. An employee can lead by serving others regardless of their status in the organization. As Ephesians 6:5-8 says, "Slaves, obey your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as Christ's, not with apparent partiality, as servants of men, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God wholeheartedly, serving with diligence as to the Lord and not as to men, knowing that each one will receive from the Lord according to the measure of the good he has done, whether slave or free. In fact, servant leadership rarely comes easy to any of us. As Ken Korkow, one of the authors of Manna for Monday, observed, the desire to serve others in the business world is not without its drawbacks: "You will realize you are a servant when you are treated as a servant. I want people to see me as a good servant of God. I want them to be impressed with my selfless devotion to the Lord and to others. But that is not the mark of a true servant!" "A true servant is one who works in the shadows, not even in plain sight, never drawing attention to himself – simply knowing, anticipating, and fulfilling the master's desire. For those who believe in Jesus Christ, this means serving Him and the people He sends us." In our desire to become ministers of Jesus Christ in the labor market, we must look to Him as our primary example. He said: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). If we think about the fact that for Jesus to give His life meant dying on a crude wooden cross to atone for the sins of mankind, we realize what it really means to be a servant. Even if it involves what we often refer to as "the greatest sacrifice of all" © 2023. Robert J. Tamasi has written "Marketplace Ambassadors: the continuing legacy of CBMC evangelism and discipleship"; "Business at its best: timeless wisdom from proverbs for today's workplace"; "In Search of Life with the Heart of a Shepherd," co-authored with Ken Johnson; and "The Heart of Mentoring," co-authored with David A. Stoddard. Bob's bi-weekly blog: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com. Questions for reflection/discussion When you first heard the word servant, what came to your mind? Does the term "servant leadership" sound like an oxymoron, a contradiction to you? Why yes or why no? What might be the benefits of aspiring to be a servant leader, regardless of role and responsibilities in a company or organization? How do you think following Jesus Christ should affect a person's determination to become a servant – even a servant leader – in the job market? NOTES. If you have a Bible and want to read more, consider the following passages: Philippians 1:1; Colossians 3:17,23-24; 1 Timothy 6:1-2; James 1:1-4; 1 Peter 2:18-21
