What’s Missing in Today’s Leadership?
by Jeremy Brown
U.S. Capitol Building - Statuary Hall to the Senate Wing.
Many of us today look around and can’t figure out what’s wrong with today’s leaders! It’s not that our leadership positions are vacant, but those serving in those roles are lacking something special. Our leaders today are lacking one of the most fundamental parts of being a leader, servitude! Today’s leaders have forgotten that the first job of a leader is to serve, whether you’re a leader in the church or in a government role. Too many times we see people flock to leadership roles to fulfill their selfish desires, forgetting God’s flock and, at times, purposely misleading them. We seem to forget that the Creator of this world said He came not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45). So what makes men think we don’t have to serve each other if our Creator came back to serve us?
Jesus is the example every servant-leader should imitate. It was Jesus who stated, “He who is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11). I know many of us have recently witnessed the news of the mega-church pastors requesting the church purchase a private plane for his use or the fact that we have preachers who are worth more than $300 million while the people they serve are living in horrible conditions. Many of these ministers/leaders give false hope to the people, making promises to them that God will make you richer if you fund this private plane, etc. That isn’t an attitude of service, that’s taking advantaged of God’s flock for your own personal desires. God speaks about these types of shepherds in Ezekiel 34:2–17: “Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened….” A shepherd/leader is supposed to protect God’s flock, but a lazy, self-serving shepherd leaves God’s flock open to attack.
A good shepherd has to have a heart similar to God to help tend to God’s flock when the sheep are lost, weary, broken, hurt, etc. (Ezekiel 34:11-16; Isaiah 40:11; Psalm 23:3-5) Just like a shepherd guides and protects sheep, God’s flock needs a shepherd who gently corrects and guides His flock onto the right path when we stray (Zechariah 10:2). Leaders who serve God with the right heart don’t serve for money, power, or selfish desires. A good leader is able to serve God’s flock with no desire for glory, fame, etc. For those desiring to be leaders have to remember the main part of leadership is to serve, not to be served as we see throughout our world today! Leaders has to remember they aren’t serving for the opinion of men; they’re serving because they want to please God! In the end God is the Shepherd who will heal His flock and correct all the wrong that has been done in this world (Psalm 23:1; Isaiah 40:11; 1 Peter 5:4; John 10:1-18; Hebrew 13:20).
It would truly be great for our world if more people could serve each other because it was the right thing to do!