Servant Leadership

When we think about leaders, we imagine someone with authority like a U.S. president or a CEO; someone with confidence like a general in the war zone; someone with charisma like a movie star or motivational speaker. Seldom do we start by naming a nun like mother Teresa who spent her whole life tending to the poorest of the poor living on the street of Calcutta, India; or a prisoner like Nelson Mandela who spent 27 years in jail without just cause yet be willing to forgive those who put him there; or a small town lawyer like Abraham Lincoln, an awkward politician after many struggles became the U.S. president but spent most of his presidency fighting a war that killed over 600,000 American. Each one of these people were focusing on the well being of the people they served and fought for.

But often these leaders are the ones people love the most and the memories of them last forever. That is because they serve others selflessly without counting the cost to themselves. Mother Teresa labor everyday to clean, carry, heal the dirty, the sick and the dying; Nelson Mandela suffered humiliation and lost his freedom in his prime; and Lincoln listened to anyone who would come to him in the White House or on the battlefield and counsel and console them with empathic stories without regard of his time, status or safety.

“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” ~ Zig Ziglar

Parenting is very much the same if not more. When it is done right, it should exemplify servant leadership more than any other roles. From changing diapers to earning a living to tending the sick kid to letting them go to pursue their dreams or their own spouse. A good parent would not be scrubbing the bathtub thinking one day, I am going to get paid for all these investments. My kid is going to make a lot of money and make me rich. We don’t ask for a return. We give and serve willingly, lovingly and exceedingly. We labour at work hoping to provide a good meal, a decent home and hopefully, a fun vacation or two. We wake up in the middle of the night to feed the baby, attend to a sick child or counsel them through difficult and emotional teenage years.

None of these acts were done for a payment, but we do it. We do it out of love. Our only hope is for them to be healthy, strong and grow up to be a happy person and live a good life.

Our Heavenly Father is the same and more. In fact, he loves us so much he sent his only son to die on the cross for us. After losing my daughter, if it wasn’t because of what God did on the cross, I could have struggled to feel His love. But He gave up His most treasured to show us His love, knowing there will be times, we need to physically know He is there and is willing to give up everything for us.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” ~ John 3:16ESV

As parents, we are hoping for our kids to live well. That must be what God wants too.

True leadership, whether at home, in business, or in life, begins with a servant heart. The greatest leaders and the greatest parents are those who give themselves away in love.