Seems like a contradiction in terms, right?
But it’s not.
Mark 10:41-45
“Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. But it is not this way among you. Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many”
In my life, my Dad (David Hearn Jr.) is the foremost example of Servant Leadership. The more I think back, the more I realize that my Dad lived “servant leadership” everyday. He was commited to serving others.
In his day job, he was a “Guardian”–how cool of a job title is that?!–he worked for the state, as a guardian to those who couldn’t care for themselves: the old, the sick, the crippled, the slow. He truly befriended the friendless, and truly cared for those that other people considered “untouchables”. Everyday, he made it his job to protect those under his care from those who would exploit them, mistreat them, steal from them, and hurt them. It was more than a job, but rathing a calling to protect those less fortunate.
And that was just his day job.
His evenings and weekends were committed to serving his family and church. He volunteered for the jobs that no one would volunteer for: the cleanup crews, the dirty jobs, the “ditch digging” (sometimes literally), the grass cutting, the trash pickup, … I could go on and on.
Many times, he took me along with him, to watch and learn first hand (and I got pretty handy myself with pruners and a swing blade). And through his example, he raised an amazing family, he touched others’ lives, he witnessed to hundreds, and he showed those of us around him the true meaning of servant leadership.
He led by humility and strength, not by attention seeking or insecurity.
I know I’m not there yet. I still fight selfishness and competitiveness almost daily. My Dad has modeled it for me… and I continue to try and walk in his footsteps. Thanks pops.