Being a Servant Leader

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Rita

Well-Known Member
Dec 20, 2020
4,934
8,345
113
68
South
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
Gender
Female
Lol, now if someone asked me to wash the feet of the managers..that would test me - even taking their rubbish our irks me at times because they are quite capable of taking it out themselves ( see I need some inner work on the servant attitudes too !!!!! ) :)
 

farouk

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2009
30,129
18,623
113
North America
Gender
Male
Thank you for the Tag and thoughts @Mayflower
When I think of servant I am reminded of what a servant does, all the things that the master either considers beneath him/her or things they simply don’t want to do…..washing feet is not particularly something that certain people would have done in Jesus day.
At work we often joke about it being like ‘ upstairs downstairs ‘ ( old British tv programme but also how it would have been in the past ) as a housekeeper you can ‘ feel ‘ like a servant and ‘ scivvy ‘ ..cleaning toilets and clearing other people’s accidents ( well I work in a care home !!! ) Would be deemed beneath management to sort out. This job teaches you to get your hands dirty for people who expect it, but also for people who would be horrified if they had a grip on reality of what dementia has turned them into. Literally yesterday I was clearing **** that had be smeared all over a room by one of the sweetest ladies you could meet……
Me and a colleague just had to have a joke with one another as we cleared it up as the lady has crones disease so the smell was awful…… it’s not something we liked to do………

So what don’t you like to do ………….that can be a way of considering Jesus’s point. Do something that you consider to be above you to do, or something that would make someones day or environment better but would be a task that would make you squirm ……..
We are individuals, there are many things I would struggle to do, or want to do that another person would find so easy..
@Rita There was a song about the Lord Jesus entitled: 'This is our God, the Servant King'.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: Mayflower

Lambano

Well-Known Member
Jul 13, 2021
10,043
12,828
113
Island of Misfit Toys
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Male
I have been blessed to have a car given to me...and here lately I feel like a full time Uber driver...I get a call almost every day asking for a ride.
I am happy to do it because as that car was a blessing to me I use it to be a blessing to others.
I'll betcha that's why God wanted you to have that car.
 

Mayflower

Well-Known Member
Encounter Team
Jul 14, 2018
7,887
11,116
113
Bluffton
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Female
Thank you for the Tag and thoughts @Mayflower
When I think of servant I am reminded of what a servant does, all the things that the master either considers beneath him/her or things they simply don’t want to do…..washing feet is not particularly something that certain people would have done in Jesus day.
At work we often joke about it being like ‘ upstairs downstairs ‘ ( old British tv programme but also how it would have been in the past ) as a housekeeper you can ‘ feel ‘ like a servant and ‘ scivvy ‘ ..cleaning toilets and clearing other people’s accidents ( well I work in a care home !!! ) Would be deemed beneath management to sort out. This job teaches you to get your hands dirty for people who expect it, but also for people who would be horrified if they had a grip on reality of what dementia has turned them into. Literally yesterday I was clearing **** that had be smeared all over a room by one of the sweetest ladies you could meet……
Me and a colleague just had to have a joke with one another as we cleared it up as the lady has crones disease so the smell was awful…… it’s not something we liked to do………

So what don’t you like to do ………….that can be a way of considering Jesus’s point. Do something that you consider to be above you to do, or something that would make someones day or environment better but would be a task that would make you squirm ……..
We are individuals, there are many things I would struggle to do, or want to do that another person would find so easy..

Cooking and housecleaning came to mind as I was reading this, Rita. :D Honestly though, I could cook a little more for my family. The housecleaning part I do my best, but definitely not on the top of my like to do list when I am super tired.

But yes. I believe this is spot on. People think sometimes that being a leader means you don't do the "feet washing", but Jesus was teaching otherwise.

I also like the verses Fluffy mentioned in regards to this.

Matthew 25:34-37
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?

----
And Jesus always hung out with the "tax collector's and sinners," people that many would shun.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Lambano

Well-Known Member
Jul 13, 2021
10,043
12,828
113
Island of Misfit Toys
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Male
I have been blessed to have a car given to me...and here lately I feel like a full time Uber driver...I get a call almost every day asking for a ride.
I am happy to do it because as that car was a blessing to me I use it to be a blessing to others.
I grew up in a town where I could bike anywhere or take public transportation if the weather was too bad to bike, so I put off getting a car for the longest time. I didn't even want a car (my friends thought that was weird; what teenager doesn't want a car?), but when I got a job in another state, I was finally forced to get one. Now I look back and see how I've been able to be a blessing to others by just simply be able to give them a ride to where they need to go, whether it's taking a couple of neighborhood kids to our Sunday School program, driving an elderly lady to church, taking a cancer patient to her chemo sessions... I think that's God's sense of humor at work.
 
Last edited:

Heart2Soul

Prayer Warrior - Eagle - Mod
Staff member
May 10, 2018
10,172
14,709
113
67
Tulsa
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Female
I grew up in a town where I could bike anywhere or take public transportation if the weather was too bad to bike, so I put off getting a car for the longest time. I didn't even want a car (my friends thought that was weird; what teenager doesn't want a car?), but when I got a job in another state, I was finally forced to get one. Now I look back and see how I've been able to be a blessing to others by just simply be able to give them a ride to where they need to go, whether it's taking a couple of neighborhood kids to our Sunday School program, driving an elderly lady to church, taking a cancer patient to her chemo sessions... I think that's God's sense of humor at work.
And it brings joy to your life when you can put joy in others.
 

Heart2Soul

Prayer Warrior - Eagle - Mod
Staff member
May 10, 2018
10,172
14,709
113
67
Tulsa
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Female
It does. But taking a friend grocery shopping is also a learning experience in patience. I HATE grocery shopping! (Oops, I said I wasn't going to confess my sins in a public forum.)
I KNOW what you mean....and strangely enough....I am one of those "women" who HATES to shop!:eek:
What's wrong with me???:(:D
 

Pearl

Encounter Team
Staff member
Encounter Team
Apr 9, 2019
12,101
18,203
113
Lancashire
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
Gender
Female

I believe every one of us has a 'foot washing' ministry, that is, to serve and encourage each other. It is an illustration of the servant heart of Jesus. When you think about what it would be like to walk for miles over unmade stony and dusty roads in open sandals, to have your feet washed would have been so lovely and refreshing, and would have made it much easier to carry on walking.

Scripture says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!” Isaiah 52:7 (NLT)

By washing each others tired and dusty feet metaphorically we are serving people and helping them to feel refreshed and ready to carry on spreading the Good News of Jesus.
 

Heart2Soul

Prayer Warrior - Eagle - Mod
Staff member
May 10, 2018
10,172
14,709
113
67
Tulsa
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Female
I attended a small Full Gospel Church a few years ago and during one of our women's Bible studies I suggested a foot washing event to follow Jesus example but they wouldn't hear of it...(for fear of being embarrassed of their feet) ...:rolleyes:
So I have never got to experience that yet....
 

Mayflower

Well-Known Member
Encounter Team
Jul 14, 2018
7,887
11,116
113
Bluffton
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Female
I attended a small Full Gospel Church a few years ago and during one of our women's Bible studies I suggested a foot washing event to follow Jesus example but they wouldn't hear of it...(for fear of being embarrassed of their feet) ...:rolleyes:
So I have never got to experience that yet....

Oh man. LOL. Sounds like they missed the point. Though if y'all ever saw War Room, my feet tend to get like that, so I get it. :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: Heart2Soul

Mayflower

Well-Known Member
Encounter Team
Jul 14, 2018
7,887
11,116
113
Bluffton
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Female
I know TMI, but I'd prolly want to throw a little perfume on these puppies before anyone touched them. :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: Heart2Soul

Mayflower

Well-Known Member
Encounter Team
Jul 14, 2018
7,887
11,116
113
Bluffton
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Female
This sort of brings my mind back to verse 8 where He tells Peter "if I don't do this, You have no part with me." How often do we want others to reach out to us and bless them, but don't let others in to bless us. You can only love and serve others as much as you love yourself.

Matthew 22:39

And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself"
 

Mayflower

Well-Known Member
Encounter Team
Jul 14, 2018
7,887
11,116
113
Bluffton
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Female
I think on the woman washing Jesus feet and pouring the perfume on His feet and how Judas rebuked that, saying the perfume should have been sold for the poor. Jesus commended this done.