The Leadership Style of Jesus by Michael Youssef

Author:Michael Youssef
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780736952316
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

PRINCIPLE 10

Authentic leaders derive their greatest power from obeying God and serving others.

11

EGO

A well-known speaker agreed to speak at an annual gathering of a major organization. The day of the event, he arrived and registered like any other attendee, received a name tag, and then proceeded to wander around the hall. No one recognized him. No one paid any attention to him.

When he got up to speak, he began with some caustic remarks expressing his disappointment that no one had welcomed him on his arrival. I spoke to him after the event, and he told me his feelings were hurt because he had gone unrecognized.

“I wanted to walk out of the place,” he said. “The event organizers had told me over the phone how eager they were to have me come and speak, but when I arrived, I felt totally let down.”

The human ego is fragile and easily offended. Our egos often get in the way of effective, Christlike leadership.

Jesus was never upset when people failed to recognize him. In fact, he usually avoided publicity and recognition.

On one occasion, the disciple Philip urged his friend Nathanael to come and meet Jesus. When Nathanael learned where Jesus came from, he replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

It was an insult—yet Jesus never rebuked Nathanael for that slur. Even though the fame of Jesus had spread far and wide, he showed no sign of being offended that he was not recognized or respected. He talked to Nathanael, and at the end of their conversation, Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (see John 1:46-51).

Read through the gospels and you’ll see that Jesus never blurted, “I am the Messiah!” In fact, you don’t find him even hinting at who he was. He concentrated on teaching, preaching, and demonstrating his purpose for coming, and then he allowed people to draw their own conclusions.

When Jesus traveled from village to village, he did not expect to be greeted by banners, reception committees, or honors. His ego did not seek the fulfillment that comes from the applause of the crowds. He specifically said, “I do not receive glory from people” (John 5:41).

When the disciples offered him food as he sat beside a well in Samaria, Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (John 4:34). Jesus was not saying that he never became physically hungry. Rather, he was saying that he subordinated his physical needs to the all-important mission his Father had given him. By this leadership example, he taught his disciples that their mission in life was also to do the will of God the Father, not feed their own egos.

Jesus came as a servant, not a celebrity. Leadership requires us to recognize what we have to do, then roll up our sleeves and do it. We don’t need to be applauded, recognized, or celebrated for it. As servants, we simply need to get our work done.

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