Leadership
AM: Psalm 85, 87 • Isaiah 52:7-12 • Hebrews 2:5-10
PM: Psalm 110:1-5(6-7), 132 • Wisdom 9:1-12 • John 1:9-14
We all know the story of Jesus and have heard seemingly endless variations of the reading from Hebrews throughout our Christian life. However, I think it is important to occasionally remove the religious and spiritual nature from some of these more well-known stories. This allows us to learn from them more practically in the context of our own lives.
What amazes me most about the story of Jesus, is not that he was the Son of God or that he rose from the dead, but how he led his people. As the founder of Christianity, Jesus did not expect his followers to do something that he would not or speak on things he had not experienced. Jesus was intimately familiar with the human condition –the suffering, temptation, and unfairness of life. He led from a place of deep humility.
Hebrews 2:9 says, “But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” In order to be a transformational leader, you must have moral credibility and inspire action in those around you. Jesus did just that. He used his personal success in the face of challenge, empathy for the suffering of others, and consistency in his teaching and actions to establish credibility. This credibility inspired others to transform their lives in accordance with his teachings. Jesus truly embodies servant leadership. Regardless of religion, I think everyone can agree that Jesus is a great leader. To live for God means embodying the same selfless leadership Jesus did. While we will never be perfect, we should always strive to lead by example and truly understand those we lead.
Written by Hadley Thomas
Hadley recently graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a biochemistry degree and is working in Washington D.C. as a Senate intern. She will start medical school in August and will commission into the U.S. Navy as a physician upon graduation. She is passionate about her faith and is excited to share her perspective and interpretations with the amazing congregation of Saint Paul’s.