Jesus Served Those Around Him. In biblical times, it was customary for a servant to clean the feet of their masters when they arrived home. This was especially true if they were traveling because the streets were very dusty and everyone wore sandals. In John 13, before the Passover Festival, Jesus started washing the feet of the apostles. You can imagine the pure shock the apostles must have felt.
Jesus was a servant leader. He led by example and showed that humility and service are two of the most important aspects of being a leader. No leader should feel too good to do the work individuals “below” him or her are doing. Great leaders should want to show this kind of leadership by working beside and supporting their coworkers.
Jesus Was Relatable. Jesus used metaphors and examples to explain His teachings. He used examples like professions, planting and other things that were considered common knowledge during that time. Not only did people understand what He was saying, but His metaphors made it easy for them to share His teachings with others.
As Jesus was shepherding and teaching others, He knew the importance of knowing His audience and being able to relate to them. In the same way, a great leader today should build relationships with those around him/her. Building this type of understanding of each other can give leaders the knowledge they need to explain their ideas and vision in a way their team members will understand.
Jesus Understood People. Jesus knew what it meant to be human. He understood the struggles, fear and pain humankind faces on a daily basis. Despite the mistakes and sinful nature of those around him, He chose to show love and forgiveness. In the Bible, we see example after example of Jesus showing kindness to the unloveable, and mercy to those around Him.
As a leader, how are you viewing the people you work with? Are you being too judgmental about that one co-worker that gets on your nerves? Are you showing enough grace? Are you putting all your focus and energy into your work while you are there? As a leader, dedication, hard work, mercy and understanding will get you a long way!
Simply put, Jesus was a servant leader. He helped others understand his message in the clearest way that he could. He understood the people around him. He showed mercy, kindness and forgiveness. He was a hard worker, and the perfect example of a great leader. May we all learn from this type of leadership. Happy Easter!
As Easter approaches, we are taking a moment to think about the impact of leadership Jesus had on our world. Market Leadership Journal calculates that 30 percent of the world’s population is Christian. That’s 2.2 billion people! Jesus’ teachings spanned only three years, but the messages He left impacted the world in such a way for the news to spread like wildfire. How did He do it? What can we learn from His leadership skills?
