Not Leaders, Teachers, But Only Followers, Servants, Students

UV 4183/10000 Not Leaders or Teachers but Only Followers, Servants, Students Do not let yourselves be called leaders or teachers; for One is your Leader ( Teacher), the Christ. Matthew 23 v 10 No human, according to this uni-verse, qualifies to be called a teacher or leader. At best, we can be called servants of God. Only Jesus, who is anointed by God to be our leader and teacher can and should be called so. Just because we exercise some leadership functions, or possess some leadership traits or knowledge, we are not leaders or teachers. As followers of Jesus, we need to seek the anointing of the Holy Spirit to be a faithful servant. The more we serve and the more people we serve, we are considered a better or more faithful servant. We emulate Jesus and reflect His grace and qualities in order to point all glory to Him. The moment we allow others to call us leaders or teachers, pride of position or pride of knowledge sets in. It is as if we have arrogated the right to rule over, dominate other people when we are only called by Jesus to serve them. When we regard ourselves only as servants, we will avoid the spirit of entitlement, the intent to exploit others to our advantage. This is the reason, the Lord addresses new arrivals in heaven with the epithet, “Great and faithful servant, Well Done!” We can never aspire for the greatness of the Master but we can aspire for the greatness of a servant. Scripture does not even use the word “servant leader”. Rather, we are to be lifelong servants of the Leader, lifelong students of the Teacher Jesus. Only by being students of the Teacher Jesus, can we become effective servants of the Leader Jesus. We need to imbibe His teachings, follow His lead, His example. Jesus has sent us the Holy Spirit as the Enabler, Helper, empowerer to equip us, fill us with strength, courage, power, wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Diligent study of the life, teachings and parables of Jesus is the best preparation to be a good servant. If we regard ourselves as teachers, we would stop learning, thinking that we already know all that is needed for one to know. The servant of God should aspire to serve more and more people in more ways. We are in a predisposition as servants to apply the principles of Christ’s leadership in the circumstances and with the people we are called to serve. The president or head of government of a country or organization is then only to be regarded as the Chief Servant of the people and not its ultimate ruler for that would be taking the place of God. It does not however mean that a servant has no authority. He has authority in accordance with what the Lord has vested in him. As the centurion told Jesus, “ I am a man in authority and under authority.” Authority or power is meant to serve people not to dominate or oppress them, to lighten their yoke, not to increase it.