Christlike Leadership

I’m reading the Lord’s statements on leadership and I’m noticing that the world seems to think that leaders are higher than everyone else: they put them on a pedestal and look at them like unto a master: they praise them, they listen to their counsel, and defend them like you would a king and lift them up above the common people in terms of temporal things. That leader then feels indeed like a king, and in fact is like a king in this regard.

But that’s not how it’s too be: the Lord showed by example that those called to be leaders are to act like unto a servant (at least on this earth) for so he was and so we are: the Savior (though he’s our master and King) did nothing but the will of the father while he was on the earth, and humbled himself to the dust and death in the process. We’re no greater than he is and should expect to do the same; that is: give all that we are and possess to the building and blessing of those souls that are around us.

I’ve seen this in myself as I’ve been called to serve as a leader in my mission: I felt the temptation of the world to lift my self-image via pride and my accomplishments, but before that came, I felt a keen awareness of my role and opportunity to bless the lives of those I served and he brought me low. I desired and tried to do more in that time to build the kingdom and those who served with me than I had ever done before.

I’ve also seen how my leaders at that time would seem to waste and wear themselves out in attempts to take care of my needs and the needs of those in their stewardship. They were always on the move, underfed, tired, and worried about responsibilities they didn’t seem to have enough time to fulfill. But the cool thing about both these situations is that I’ve seen the hand of the Lord support both me and them as we made ourselves low in our service to him despite being leaders. I’ve seen the opposite happen to the leaders of the world. Truly we have need to remember who we really are. I promise that as we do, we'll see his hand helping us in all of responsibilities, were ever they may be.