THE HEART OF A SERVANT LEADER

undefined

THE HEART OF A SERVANT LEADER

The bible exhorts us to gird our hearts with all diligence, for it is out of it that the issues of life flow (Prov 4: 23). Whether you are talking about jealousy, hatred insecurity or malice, they all spring from the heart. There is no doubt then that the heart is what makes a leader. Our character is normally formed by what we allow in our hearts, if you allow negative things about people in your heart the next thing that automatically happens is that you begin resenting those people.

The bible says that God searches the reins and the heart, though men look at the outside but our God looks at the heart. That is why when it came to appointing a leader for Israel men went for looks and chose Saul- he was quite outstanding, but when Gods turn came, he chose a young ruddy boy that had been even rejected by His own father .He had been relegated to taking care of the sheep-very unlikely, there was nothing about him that made him look like he could amount to any leadership position, yet God says ‘ He is man after my own heart’.

It is important for us to realize that God looks at the heart in any leader before endorsing him for any leader ship position, I mean consider Esau and Jacob, the bible says that Esau had all the looks for greatness –hairy and a man of the fields in addition to this he was a cunning hunter -no wonder his father loved him, he was his symbol of success, he was one of those kids that parents are normally proud of, Jacob on the other hand was, weak, smooth, and timid (mamas boy always in the tents) that out of a mothers love for a child, you know mothers don’t always have a choice when it comes to loving their kids, whether the kid turns out to be a criminal or a junkie a mother will still love her child, no wonder when God wants to refer us to his unconditional love He refers us to the love of a mother.
Any way someone who didn’t love him because of what he had or was but one that loved unconditionally just like our God has loved all of us unconditionally loved Jacob.

Despite Esau’s qualification, even before he could prove himself in life God says “Jacob have I loved but Esau I have hated.”
Friends it is all about the heart, God is not moved by being exceptionally gifted, your background or qualifications, He is moved by what is in your heart, He says, “I will desire mercy and not sacrifice”.
I have been studying God’s choice of a leader and it still amazes me. It is not that God looks for the perfect, for if you consider the above examples you will realize that the people God chose were still human beings and part from their insufficiencies they had human frailties, they were weak people, Jacob was a liar, David had a weakness for women, I mean if it is talking about perfect, they were imperfect, but the bible says, that God has chosen the weak things of this life to shame the wise. We need to realize that God is looking for people who are pure in heart, people who are broken in spirit, people who have a contrite spirit.

Our heart is the well spring of life, when we contain things like insecurities, hatred, being inhuman, not being considerate to other people, choosing who to love…it is such little things that reveal what is hidden in our hearts. God normally looks for how we react to small things; it speaks volumes on what is stored in our hearts. Saul was a man full of insecurities, he couldn’t allow other people that God was raising under him to grow, he chased after David with the intention to take his life, as a leader, are you insecure in your position that you have been unable to multiply yourself? Insecurity is a bad thing because as you refuse to help other people Grow that God has placed under you, God will still raise them any way. Esau on the other hand was a very selfish person, He could do anything to get what he wanted, I mean look here he is asked for his father to get something in order to get His blessings and the worst part about his story is that he didn’t even consider his young brother, Jacob, he wanted the blessings only to himself. God hated him right from the womb, he always wanted to be first, even coming out of the mothers’ womb, he strode past his brother, God hates people who only think about themselves. As God is raising you into a leader, please allow him to do a deeper work in your heart, let him give you a servant’s heart. May God hold this testimony about you that, you are man after his own heart, man who is moved by what moves him!

If you consider our leaders today, God is looking for unselfish leaders who are not preoccupied with their own interests but the interest of other people as well. For instance our country of Kenya has on several occasions been a victim of greedy leaders, we have had enough scandals that have fleeced a once magnificent country, It is very had in our African countries to find faultless political leaders who have an impeccable record, leaders who can stir our nations to posterity, but I believe that God is about to bring to notoriety, leaders after his own heart that He has been preparing in secret.

We also need today spiritual leaders in Africa who would rather have God than have anything. As God is bringing the continent to a place of prominence spiritually, he is about to reveal leaders who have the character of Christ embedded in their being. Leaders with a servant’s heart

Rediscovering the pearl of servanthood

In Luke 22:27, which takes place during the Last Supper on the night in which He was betrayed, Jesus starts by stating what would be accepted at true in both Greek and Jewish cultures. He sets up a dinnertime situation, and asks, who ranks greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Then he answers that it is one who sits at the table. So far, so typical. But it would be unlike Jesus not to turn those tables: "But I am among you as one who serves." Jesus is talking about more than being a waiter, though, and is not content with mere talk. He takes on the smellier, uglier task of washing feet. The host cleans, gives manual services of labor, and becomes someone to literally look down upon. The Authority serves. This is not at all the only example of Jesus' Servant-God approach, but it is the most direct. The hub of this way of seeing life is found in John's account of that same night, when Jesus calls on His disciples to love each other as He does.

Why is service so central to Christian belief? Because we follow a God who serves. Do we dare hold ourselves to be greater than God, and hold that what God does is too menial or dirty? Even more, we follow a Christ who loves others. Dare we spurn those whom God treasures? Apparently, we do dare, because we do it. We fail to serve, to care enough about someone else to act in their favor. It's not as if servanthood is hard. You can do it. It doesn't take a God to pull it off. But then again, maybe it does in a way, for Jesus wasn't out for self-this and self-that, but rather others-this and others-that, and was able to pull it off. God wants to work through you. Maybe we have to rely on Jesus' character growing in us, as it brings out the fruit of the Spirit, and focuses us on doing right by others.

Servants aren't posers. They know they're not superstars. That helps others see that they too are just people. They can be held accountable, because they're not trying to be crafty and aren't into c.y.a.. A servant of Christ chooses to be like Christ and serve others. They do it in whatever way is needed, but prefer doing it in person. They see freedom not as a great way of doing something for themselves, but as the freedom to do what's needed to lift someone else who needs it. They forgive those who do them wrong, since God forgave them in Jesus. Most of all, the servant is actually looking for helpful ways to serve, to give, and to build up. They're glad to do it. The Spirit gives Christ's servants gifts so they can build each other up.

The question that separates the wise from the wimps in spirituality is how to serve others, especially those others who are dealt the worst of hands by our society. It's where most people's spirituality (Christian or otherwise) turns tail and runs. No turning tail here : the writers teach us big-time lessons in real compassion.
More on teaching your children to serve.