Warning: Honest post ahead….
I just discovered what it means to be a servant and how it relates to being a leader. I always grew up serving. My parents were assistant pastors of a small church. Therefore, I knew what it was to show up first, leave last, set up, tear down, clean toilets, vacuum/mop floors, clean windows, help in nursery, help in children’s church, run slides, run sound, cook food, visit the sick, attend funerals, host prayer meetings, etc. I did all the stuff! I could be mistaken, but I think for the most part I did it with a good attitude. I mean, obviously I wrestled with it sometimes; but overall I think I had a decent attitude.
My heart’s motivation was always to serve to please God. Jesus served therefore, I would too. You know, when I read the verses about how Jesus served, I always thought He was trying to display His humility. Then I would read verses about the first being last and the last being first. Obviously if I was cleaning toilets, I would get to be first sooner or later, right?
I just discovered what it means to be a servant and how it relates to being a leader. I always grew up serving. My parents were assistant pastors of a small church. Therefore, I knew what it was to show up first, leave last, set up, tear down, clean toilets, vacuum/mop floors, clean windows, help in nursery, help in children’s church, run slides, run sound, cook food, visit the sick, attend funerals, host prayer meetings, etc. I did all the stuff! I could be mistaken, but I think for the most part I did it with a good attitude. I mean, obviously I wrestled with it sometimes; but overall I think I had a decent attitude.
My heart’s motivation was always to serve to please God. Jesus served therefore, I would too. You know, when I read the verses about how Jesus served, I always thought He was trying to display His humility. Then I would read verses about the first being last and the last being first. Obviously if I was cleaning toilets, I would get to be first sooner or later, right?
Obviously if I was cleaning toilets, I would get to be first sooner or later, right?
In the depths of my heart I truly believed you served so God would see you and eventually promote you. Pick the worst seat so He would move you to the best one. I thought Jesus was trying to baffle the disciples so He served them. His whole goal was to be the total opposite of everything they expected, right? … Wrong.
I was recently scrolling through Facebook and read one of those leadership serving posts you always see. Suddenly, everything clicked. It was a whisper; a nearly missable moment, but the way it impacted me made it seem like an explosion!
I don’t serve so God will see me and promote me. I don’t serve to one day become a leader. I don’t serve so I have breakthrough in my life. This is what I thought you served for! I thought you served for God to promote you. Which, is in fact a result of serving in most cases, but it shouldn’t be the motivation. Instead, I realized I serve because I am leading.
I was recently scrolling through Facebook and read one of those leadership serving posts you always see. Suddenly, everything clicked. It was a whisper; a nearly missable moment, but the way it impacted me made it seem like an explosion!
I don’t serve so God will see me and promote me. I don’t serve to one day become a leader. I don’t serve so I have breakthrough in my life. This is what I thought you served for! I thought you served for God to promote you. Which, is in fact a result of serving in most cases, but it shouldn’t be the motivation. Instead, I realized I serve because I am leading.
Instead, I realized I serve because I am leading.
I think it’s the new job that made me finally see the difference. I’m a Children’s Pastor now. I wouldn’t say I’m drastically different or anything, but I am slowly starting to see what it means to be a pastor.
Here’s the difference I’ve noticed… Being a pastor isn’t the glamorous thing I thought it would be. It isn’t very showy. It isn’t emotionally easy. Life isn’t handed to you on a silver platter. You aren’t suddenly incredible and important and respected. People think you are, but not really. I’m still just Megan… with a job.
What the heck does that even mean? I lead people? This is where that serving thing comes in… It is not convenient to be a leader. The very idea of leading means you constantly give away for others. That’s the mental change that I had when I read that Facebook post. I don’t serve to become a leader. Leaders serve. Do you see the difference?
Leaders don’t tell people what to do; they listen to the people following them. Leaders don’t rush forward into the direction they want to go and achieve their vision; they walk at a pace that those following them can keep up with. Leaders don’t do whatever they want whenever they want to; they soften their edges and do the hard thing first. They turn the other cheek, they learn to love first, they choose the high road first, they choose to walk in righteousness first. That is serving. Leaders don’t demand from those following them that they need to be the first to apologize- rather, leaders apologize first. Does this make sense? Leaders are constantly serving those following them. It is not about you- as the leader; it’s about the sheep.
Here’s the thing: sheep get lost, they wander. They follow the leader. The shepherd has to take care of the sheep. If one gets lost, you don’t get to say, “oh, sorry, not my job.” It’s always your job. It’s all your job. You’re the leader. When I use to clean toilets, waiting for God to notice my great serving so I could do something different, I didn’t realize that becoming that pastor means cleaning toilets with a title.
To be a good leader, you have to be selfless. Not only that, you have to be selfless to people who might not even be appreciative. You will have to be selfless to people who think they can do it better. You will have to serve those who don’t want you to lead them. You will still do so much without being noticed, appreciated, or thanked. You may even be seen less as a pastor cleaning toilets than you were as a congregant cleaning toilets because now it’s your job.
So all those years I served was not for my promotion…. All those years I served was training to be the leader I would become.
Here’s the difference I’ve noticed… Being a pastor isn’t the glamorous thing I thought it would be. It isn’t very showy. It isn’t emotionally easy. Life isn’t handed to you on a silver platter. You aren’t suddenly incredible and important and respected. People think you are, but not really. I’m still just Megan… with a job.
What the heck does that even mean? I lead people? This is where that serving thing comes in… It is not convenient to be a leader. The very idea of leading means you constantly give away for others. That’s the mental change that I had when I read that Facebook post. I don’t serve to become a leader. Leaders serve. Do you see the difference?
Leaders don’t tell people what to do; they listen to the people following them. Leaders don’t rush forward into the direction they want to go and achieve their vision; they walk at a pace that those following them can keep up with. Leaders don’t do whatever they want whenever they want to; they soften their edges and do the hard thing first. They turn the other cheek, they learn to love first, they choose the high road first, they choose to walk in righteousness first. That is serving. Leaders don’t demand from those following them that they need to be the first to apologize- rather, leaders apologize first. Does this make sense? Leaders are constantly serving those following them. It is not about you- as the leader; it’s about the sheep.
Here’s the thing: sheep get lost, they wander. They follow the leader. The shepherd has to take care of the sheep. If one gets lost, you don’t get to say, “oh, sorry, not my job.” It’s always your job. It’s all your job. You’re the leader. When I use to clean toilets, waiting for God to notice my great serving so I could do something different, I didn’t realize that becoming that pastor means cleaning toilets with a title.
To be a good leader, you have to be selfless. Not only that, you have to be selfless to people who might not even be appreciative. You will have to be selfless to people who think they can do it better. You will have to serve those who don’t want you to lead them. You will still do so much without being noticed, appreciated, or thanked. You may even be seen less as a pastor cleaning toilets than you were as a congregant cleaning toilets because now it’s your job.
So all those years I served was not for my promotion…. All those years I served was training to be the leader I would become.
So all those years I served was not for my promotion... All those years I served was training to b the leader I would become.
I guess I should have noticed this sooner since I read the bible and all… After all, Jesus was the ultimate leader as well as the ultimate servant who quickly became the ultimate sacrifice and rose again to be the ultimate king who is still the ultimate servant… Leadership doesn’t mean wealth, titles, riches, etc… Leadership means you die for those following and give to those who don’t deserve it and do the hard things. And somehow, you still get the biggest reward…