Former
Attorney General John Ashcroft's godly father tried to prepare him for life in
the Nation’s Capital after his son's election to the United States Senate. He
said, "John, the culture of Washington is a culture of arrogance. (By the
way, most power-centers are.) The culture of Jesus is a culture of humility.
Don't get sucked into the culture of arrogance." Success; who doesn’t want to be successful in
their careers, in being a parent or at anything we do. I remember a man saying
that he had a book on his desk about Ronald Regan and leadership and he said “I
think that if I were to read that book that I would learn something about
leadership that I could incorporate into my life that would make me a better
leader.”
Let’s take a look at the greatest leader that
ever walked the face of this earth and see what made Him great and I am sure we
can learn something from Him that will help us be a better leader.
Mark
10:42 But Jesus called them (disciples) to him, and smith unto
them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise
lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
Mark
10:43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great
among you, shall be your minister:
Mark
10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but
to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Jesus
taught that you can earn your authority in people's lives by serving them, by
putting them first and by helping them succeed. Jesus told his disciples if you
want to be the chief then you’re going to have to be a servant. Now he wasn’t
talking about starting at the bottom and working your way up, He was speaking
of humbling yourself then He gave an example.
Jesus said I didn’t come into this world so that others could serve me
but I came to give my life for others. In the book Good to Great written by Jim
Collins he researched eleven of the most effective companies in the United
States, and then they pursued this question: "What specifically makes
these companies so different?" Here is what he and his team
discovered. The CEOs who led them were humble leaders, highly focused,
sometimes driven people but known for being gracious. Would you not say that
Jesus was highly focused?
Luke
2:49….. wist ye not that I must be about my
Father's business?
Bottom
line Jesus said don’t be like those that exercise lordship over others but be
servants. When the successful leader do something right, they walk over to a
window and point to all the reasons out there (especially all the other people)
that are the reasons for their success. When they do something wrong, they walk
to a mirror and they assume the blame themselves. The less effective leaders do
it just the other way around. When things go wrong they point out the window
for excuses and explanations; when things are going right, they go to the
mirror to admire the one who deserves the credit. Jesus said “it shall not be
so among you.” I know the more we know about Jesus the more we can learn about good
leadership, for 2000 years after He returned to glory He still has those who
are giving their lives for Him.
Zing
Ziegler says” You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help
other people get what they want.”
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