Muse a while on the seeming oxymoron of “servant
leadership.” We have lost the shock value of Jesus’
words and actions that specify that true leadership involves
serving others, not ruling them. Yet, in many ways we have
reversed Jesus’ reversal by accepting the term servant leader
but reinvesting it with the trappings of power and privilege.
We are all familiar with the title of the supreme pontiff
of Rome, “servant of the servants of God.” While we
rightly praise humble pontiffs, in actual fact the position is
vested with authority and power not much different from
the authority and power of any political leader.
Protestants can easily become self-righteous, noting
with disapproval the pomp, power, and privilege accorded
the “servant of the servants of God.” But haven’t we done
the same? We have avoided the term “servant of the servants
of God,” but don’t we give greater authority and veneration
to supervisory leaders than to pastors? In United
Methodist circles, bishops are no longer called by name but
by title. And don’t we value serving affluent churches more
than poor churches? Why are our most effective pastors sent
to big churches as reward for doing well, rather than to our
poorest churches where they might help the church grow?
If we truly valued servant leadership, wouldn’t pastors vie
for appointments to rural or inner city or poor churches
where leadership would indeed be sacrificial? In Mark 10
Jesus explicitly reverses the social position of leader from a
place of power to a place of sacrificial service, even to a place
he calls slavery. His crucifixion sealed this reversal where
the Highest suffered with the most lowly for the sake of
saving the lowly. We are followers of Christ.
By Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki from The Upper Room: 60 Days of Prayer for General Conference 2016