I read a quote the other day that really struck a chord with me. It says, “Oftentimes, we confuse leadership with dictatorship. A dictator barks out orders and does not take into account the wants and needs of others. A servant leader is the complete opposite. A servant leader works tirelessly to develop his or her people and is focused on what they can do for others.” Sadly I don’t recall where I found it, but I thank the author for their insight.
We’ve all worked with, or at least witnessed, leaders from both ends of the spectrum. Most leaders fall between these two extremes and may even waiver between the two depending on the level of stress or how close to a deadline the team may be. We all like to think we are more like the servant leader described above, but are we really?
As I mentioned in episode 36, Your Communication Style and Why it Matters, I, who always felt like I was putting my people’s interest first, found myself falling into that director style the busier I got and the more stressed out I became. Likewise, the Type A director I mentioned in that episode, could be very commanding and quite intimidating at times but was genuinely one of the most generous and kind people I’ve ever known. She could be tough to work for, but she would also be very tender and was often the first to commend someone for a job well done. I also witnessed her being the first to step in line to help out a coworker who was suffering loss or tragedy.
By the world’s standards, as leaders, we are measured by how much money we make, how many trophies or awards we’ve received, how big our office is, how nice our house is, what model car we drive and what brand of clothing or shoes we wear. As hard as we try to keep up, there is always someone who has more and is seemly more qualified than we can ever be. Even if we love what we do, it is easy to become discouraged if we get into that game of comparison as we will never be able to get to be as good as we perceive others to be. Especially those who rise to the top of any organization or endeavor,
And I wonder if those who do reach the top are truly happy. It seems they often are all alone. Sometimes as I observe some people, I can only assume that is because they have stepped on every person that came into their path to get there. But my guess is that more often its because they had to give up everything that was important to them to reach the top. If you do it according to the world’s standards, you have to press really hard to make it big and many times at a very high cost.
Think about it, how many athletes, movie stars, or million-dollar CEOs do you know that seem to be really happy? Many self-destruct shortly after reaching the top. Is it what they gave up to get there or is it who they became on their way to get there that makes them so miserable?
On the reverse, how many people do you know that have a “dead end” job that they love and who seem to be the happiest person you know?
I believe it all comes down to perspective and what or who we focus on. If we are focused on ourselves and what we will get out of every action we take, we become selfish and uncaring. If instead, we focus on our calling and serve others, and by doing so, serve God, then we will feel the true rewards in life and can be genuinely happy.
God calls us to obedience to him and his word. If we give only lip service to God while we are truly worshiping the fame, money, and other earthly treasures, he will leave us to those desires. If, on the other hand, we truly seek him first and focus on loving and serving the people he places in our lives, the other rewards will follow.
I get really uncomfortable when I talk about works for fear that some of you will think I am talking about having to do all this work to earn our way into heaven. That is not the case at all. Scripture is very clear that we are saved by our faith and nothing that we do. Having said that, though, I also believe that if we love Jesus, we will want to serve others as he did in John 13. We do so to glorify God and to show his love to those in our lives.
Our attitude should be the same as that of Jesus. Even though he was God, he didn’t demand his rights, but instead made himself nothing and took on the humble position of a slave. We are called to serve out of love for God and for others, not out of guilt or fear. We get to choose how we look at things. We can expect to be served or we can look for opportunities to serve others.
A verse that really speaks to this can be found in 1 Corinthians. This verse is almost always associated with weddings and love in the terms of romantic love but listen to it in terms of the kind of love that originates from the heart of God. As you listen to it now, think about it in terms of people in your workplace or community.
Starting in chapter 13 verse 1, it says, “If I could speak any language in heaven or on earth but didn’t love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others, what would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it, but if I didn’t love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable and keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will disappear. Now we know only a little, and even the gift of prophecy reveals little. But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear.
It’s like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.
There are three things that will endure – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love.”
What if, as leaders in the workplace, we incorporated and set the example of exhibiting these characteristics of love in the workplace? What if acts of kindness, patience, and a willingness to bear all things were the norm from every person up and down the chain of command? Can you imagine how much more meaningful work could be and how much more enjoyment every worker could experience?
Believe me, we are all tempted by the luxuries that seem to flow easily to those who are willing to cut corners or even look the other way when the opportunity for advancement arises, but those worldly treasures are only temporary. We are called to step up and speak and do what is right. Sometimes that can be really hard to do. But if we remember that God will always give us the strength to do what he has commanded, we are able to do so more readily. Sometimes the strength doesn’t come until we step out in faith and actually begin doing the task.
What are you being called to do today? If this has stirred up thoughts of things you have been meaning to get to, it may be that now is the time to go for it. Be bold. Do that thing that has been on your heart to take care of. Life is short and you are not promised another opportunity to carry out the things you were created to do.
If you like this message, you may enjoy listening to it in podcast format on Reviving Your Soul each week. You can find a link to it at vonajohnson.com/podcast. While you are there, be sure to download my free gift of a pdf of the 7 Mistakes Christians Make at Work. It’s in a poster format that you can display to remind you to live out your faith in the workplace.
And as always, if you know of someone who needs to hear this message, please share it with them.
Thank you for stopping by today. I appreciate it very much. So now, go and be a blessing to all who you encounter today.
