The Surprise of Service
A reflection about our human nature and the goodness of God.
We don’t like taking orders.
Instead, most of us prefer leadership and command roles. This allows people to order others around and then take credit for the work accomplished.
Now I’m not making light of leadership, but when young people grow up in an environment where everyone is a winner, no one ever fails, the most important key to effective leadership is not well taught.
This is, in my opinion , the key to effective leadership: Learning to accept and even own responsibility.
In addition, the best leaders grow into their positions by moving up the ranks, not starting on top.
Work teaches valuable lessons like doing even menial tasks well and to completion.
Work builds muscles and motor skills. It teaches the importance of taking appropriate orders without complaining. It also should provide us with personal experiences when leaders above us drop the ball. Then later, when we find ourselves giving the orders, we do so in better, more respectful and helpful ways.
The best leaders are also excellent teachers willing to train their teams and take useful feedback without losing heart. Not an easy lesson.
Beyond learning to follow and lead, there is a Surprise of Service — especially the sacrificial kind.
When anyone becomes willing to sacrifice their egos, time, and talents for the benefit of those who have little or nothing to give in return, the result is what I can best describe as a quiet kiss from God.
This kiss feels like an infusion of peace and joy.
It comes with the knowledge that in some small way, as image bearers we have represented the God we serve accurately. We have accurately displayed his true character to the world.
[Jesus said]
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?”
And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”