Intro: Human beings crave influence and power, but rarely wear it in humility or use it wisely. According to Scripture, leaders are elected into positions and allowed to have power, but are actually used to further God’s purposes rather than the human agenda (Ro 13:1). Sin is the root of humanity’s pride problem that will one day lead to destruction (Pro 16:18). Righteousness is the eternal solution that will lead to life (Pro 11:19). Biblical history reveals God uses prideful control-driven leaders to demonstrate what is true and must be fixed: this sinful world needs a divine Lord who is perfect in love, righteousness, and rules in justice [giving people what they deserve]. Jesus is the perfect One.
In our passage today, Jesus is mentoring leaders for the future. His eternal Word reaches our hearts with the lesson. The disciples get into an argument about who is the greatest among them; pride is leading their thoughts and conversation. This must have grieved Jesus, because he arranges a public object lesson to humble them. Jesus uses a child as an example of greatness for his disciples. As if to say, “You want to know who is the greatest leader in the Kingdom among you? It’s this child, because she listens to my correction and humbly obeys. Be like her!” God exalts the humble (Phil 2:8).
Pride will always seek to block a person from learning to listen to the Spirit; but, humility opens the heart and brings a person honor. God’s Spirit-led leaders are servants. Pride has dominion over too many leaders in our world, today. So, be a servant-leader in your sphere of influence and reveal the lesson of humility. If we are wise, we will humbly bend our knee now, because one day…every knee will be commanded to bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord! (Phil 2:9-11).
Luke 9:46-48 NLT The Greatest in the Kingdom
46 Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. 48 Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf [in my name] welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”
Prayer: Lord, thank you for this lesson today on leadership. To be great in the Kingdom is to be like Jesus. So, Holy Spirit please recreate us in humility as your servant sons and daughters. In Jesus’ name. Amen.