True Leadership

True leadership is true service especially to the lowliest of all.

1 Before the feast of Passover,[c] Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already induced[d] Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, 3 fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, 4 he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. 5 [e]Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed[f] has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” 11 For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”12 So when he had washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? 13 You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. 14 If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.-John13:1-15

Anywhere in time, we can always read and see kings, queens and leaders live in palaces, beautiful gardens, soldiers and servants at their disposal, in short a comfortable life. In Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, he perfectly illustrated the life of the aristocracy and that of the peasantry. The aristocrats, nobles and royals live in palaces, with good food and wine, and flowing money. Life is good for them. But the peasantry lived poorly and sometimes with nothing at all. Those who are powerful and rich expects to be served and looked up to all the time. But Jesus is the most unique of all powerful leaders. He lives poorly, simply, humbly, above all, loves and serves all especially the poor, the lost, the last and the least. Jesus taught a new and better way of leadership - service with love and humility. For me, all leaders are supposed to be shepherds. A shepherd's work is supposed to care, look after, and protect the sheep, and not the other way around (that is, the sheep caring for the shepherd). Jesus is once more inviting us to be servant-leaders. If we want to be a leader, we have to give our life to service. A true leader must never seek his/her own comforts, luxury and needs.

Image courtesy: artist