Servant Leadership

Matt.14:22-23 “Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.”

Wait a minute, what exactly is going on here! Jesus was the leader, right? So, after teaching, should He not have been whisked away by secret service agents? Then the disciples would be the ones to stay back, do the clearing and cleaning up and then disperse the people. Nope, not Jesus! He flipped the leadership triangle upside down – and this is servant leadership. Jesus Himself whisked His disciples away, sent them off by boat. Then He stayed back and attended to everyone. Wow! So, whose model of leadership do we practice currently? Jesus shows us clearly His idea of leadership; you and I must make up our minds to lead like Jesus.
Interestingly, Jesus did not joke with prayer. Jesus also did not belittle work and He did not take prayer as a substitute for work. Unfortunately, in our time, a lot of folks take prayer as an alternative to work. Jesus had just finished preaching right? He sent His disciples home, attended to all the people that gathered to hear Him teach and also sent them home. Jesus could have said He was tired and that would have been legitimate. After all, He had been preaching for hours, sent off His disciples, and then attended to everyone. Jesus could have retired to sleep, or He could have demanded that people wait on Him after all He deserved it, right? But instead, Jesus ministered to everybody and then climbed up a hill to pray.
Can you imagine the effort Jesus would need to climb up that hill? Jesus stayed there alone, unattended, and prayed. What is our excuse for not praying? We need to realize, particularly after seeing this example of Jesus, that there is no legitimate excuse for not praying. Let it go because there is no excuse for not praying. For some of us by the time we are done climbing the hill, we will be too tired to do anything else. Jesus was physically fit, unbelievably fit. He climbed the hill and yet He was not tired because He could still pray until it was dark. Today God is going to breathe upon us the Spirit of prayer and supplication. By His Spirit, once you engage in prayer, tiredness and every form of weariness will be subdued until you are done, in the Mighty Name of Jesus, Amen.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I ask that You anoint me afresh today with Your Spirit of prayer and supplication. Empower me to pray God’s mind always, in Jesus Name. Amen!