So, we all know the principle that if you want to jump high you need to start low. The lower you get, the higher you jump. Jesus exhibited many noteworthy traits, however one that I’ve come to really appreciate is His humility. Jesus knew how to get low and serve others. The lower Jesus got (giving up His life for humanity), the higher He went (all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him).
The influence you have been given is so that you can get low, serve and empower the ones who are looking to you for guidance
I remember seeing a post on LinkedIn which was referring to how everyone wants to be a CEO, “the boss”. The post rightly pointed out that if everyone was the boss, we’d have no businesses as there would be zero employees. I think this growing desire to be CEO comes from a misconception that you just give out the orders whilst others serve your needs. So, we have more people pursuing the big CEO title even if they lack the skillset for such a role. Not only is this counterintuitive to our development as a society, but it also overlooks that even as “the boss” you have a duty to serve the people who work for you. We’ve heard of the saying “heavy is the head that wears the crown” but if we take our time to consider this, it’s telling us that it’s weighty to be in a position of influence, regardless of the “crown” (perks) that it may come with.
The influence you have been given is so that you can get low, serve and empower the ones who are looking to you for guidance. Not only is this a godly principle, but it is one that is being increasingly embraced by the secular world. Forbes wrote ‘that Leaders who serve their customers, uphold meaningful missions, and adhere to guiding principles build stronger and more successful organizations’.
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
John 13:3-5
To serve others well requires a strong conviction about who you are. The bible literally notes that it was because ‘Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God’ (John 13:3), that he began to wash the feet of His disciples. Jesus did not place His identity in the fancy titles, where He sat on the table or the events He was invited to. He knew that with or without that He is the Son of God and no external circumstance could change that. In the same way, we should have a strong sense of who we are, our gifting and who we belong to, so that being in service to others doesn’t make us feel inferior. Also, so that we will still be able to serve others even when we feel we are not getting the recognition we deserve.
This life is for us but it’s not all about us. It’s about God’s love for us and how we can reflect that love through serving others with our gifts and talents. The more we serve, the greater satisfaction we will get from life because we will be doing what we were created for.
Jesus redefines greatness. He says that the greatest in the kingdom is the one who is “humble” (Matthew 18:4) – the one who can get low and serve others. As I ask God to teach me more about humility, one of the things I’ve learnt is that servanthood is a much faster way to get promoted. As you serve faithfully in the position you are currently in, God promises to exalt you in due time (1 Peter 5:6). By then, you will find that you have the heart for the elevation. So regardless of your position, Instagramable or not, CEO or employee…just serve.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:28
Further reading
Redefining Success 
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