Last week, I had an argument with the leaders of our Christian-based club at school. We normally meet on Tuesday morning before school, but some lingering ice caused school to open two hours late. I texted my fellow leaders to make sure we were meeting despite the delay, excited to get back to school and see my friends and club members again. 

But one of the leaders texted that she didn’t think it was smart. I thought, “Of course it is. Why would we not meet?” But she elaborated that no one had come up with a lesson plan for the day and we were completely unprepared. 

Annoyance touched my fingertips as I wrote a response in the group chat. Why didn’t they mention earlier that we didn’t have a plan? I was under the impression a lesson plan was in the works by one of the girls.

I debated with her for an hour before she went quiet on the chat, at which point I felt even more annoyed. “We’re supposed to put God first, and a minor inconvenience is going to stop you?” 

I offered to prepare the lesson so that we could still meet. I asked for consent from the other leaders, and waited for a response. 

And I waited.

And waited.

By 7:30 I was upset. How could you call yourself a leader if you didn’t try to make things work? I grumbled, but a song popped up on my shuffled Spotify playlist–“Get Down” by Audio Adrenaline. As the lyrics rang through my head unconsciously, I realized my mistake. 

The song illustrated the humble servant attitude that Jesus taught his disciples to express. Jesus said, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). 

I’d made leadership about me. About how I could take control of the group. About how I could make things better. I forgot that a leader is a servant and a slave, someone who is humble and gracious. 

I opened my palms and repented for my thoughts and my actions. “Forgive me, Lord,” I said, reordering my thinking to imitate Christ’s humility. 

A few minutes later, my phone buzzed with a confirmation text from one of the leaders. I smiled. I knew that response came only because I humbled myself. 

After that moment, after I repented and decided I would think and act differently, I began to see a much more active, much more flourishing leadership. When we texted, I could almost hear the others laughing through the screen. The other members offered new ideas, new insights into the club, and I did my best to follow through with the ideas they offered. It all came together again–more than it had before, even.

Ephesians 4 calls us to “bear with one another in love” and to do it “with all humility and gentleness”. Being a leader isn’t standing on a stage speaking to a crowd. It isn’t a military officer commanding his subordinates. It’s genuine care for everyone involved, in hopes that your gentle guidance will allow others to unlock new potentials and act in new ways. It’s others seeing your light shine and feeling inspired to do the same.

It’s our job to be the servant leader, and in turn we will be exalted by our Maker, just as God unlocked the door for me when I bowed my head and said “I’m sorry”. 

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.