When people do what they are supposed to do, it is a good place to be. But when people turn their positions of responsibility into platforms to promote their own interests, the place turns toxic.
King Solomon, when eyeing the potential for corruption in officialdom, says the quiet part out loud:
“If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them” (Ecclesiastes 5:8).
Solomon is just stating the world’s view of leadership; a top-down perspective. They never assume that the beneficiary knows his needs better than the benefactor. “If he knew so,” they reason, “he wouldn’t be the giver, not the taker.”
The Kingdom of God on earth is lived out in the church. Christians are sharers of the Gospel and givers to those in need. Our leadership structure is never top-down. It is the spiritual among us that we follow “as they follow Christ.” A remote Boardroom leadership model is unknown in the New Testament. Instead, to paraphrase a wise man: “Church shepherds smell like sheep!”
Given that most churches around the world have hierarchical leadership models, it is understandable when the Lord’s church incorporates their practises. We should not be surprised when our leaders transition from “servant-leaders” to “those in authority”; that’s the environment we swim in.
When Jesus caught his disciples arguing about who should be considered the most important leader, he told them:
“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant” (Luke 22:25-26).
According to Jesus, “Only Servant-leaders need apply.”
John Staiger