“The greatest among you will be your servant” (Mt 23:11) In today’s Gospel, St Mathew seeks to give the fledgling Jewish Christian community an object lesson in the dangers inherent in any exercise of leadership. He does this by highlighting Jesus’ stern criticism of some of the serious faults of the scribes and Pharisees – the religious leaders of his day. Unfortunately, these pitfalls exist even in this day and age, as human nature tainted by original sin remains much the same. We too have the tendency to preach and not practice, to burden others while excusing ourselves, and to hanker after pomp and adulation. Jesus reminds us that the essential attitude of a disciple is that of a servant. Servant leadership, as popularized by Robert Greenleaf, is a much sought-after principle in corporate management circles today. In fact, Christ originated the concept of servant leadership. Being a servant defines disciples who mediate God’s love and grace to others to the exclusion of personal aggrandizement. Our exemplar, as always, is Jesus himself. He lived out his claim that he “came not to be served but to serve”. In our daily lives, Small Christian Communities can provide opportunities for Christ-like service and servant leadership where it counts the most. The Lord’s promise is, “All who humble themselves will be exalted”. FRUIT: Let me think of one or two ways in which I can be a leader in my community today - by serving.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 05:10:53 +0000
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