Servant Leadership: The Way Up Is Down (Mark 9:33 - 10:16)

Extracted from The Maxwell Leadership Bible

When Jesus caught His disciples arguing about who among them is the greatest, they felt embarassed - but Jesus didn't rebuke them for wanting to be great. He simply gave them an unexpected formula: Be a servant.

Later, when the disciples asked about those who cast out demons in His name, Jesus said, "He who is not against us is on our side" (Mark 9:40,41). A short time later, His disciples angered Him again when they became more concerned with crowd control than with humility and service (10:13-18).

For Jesus, children presented the best example of the required attitude for servant leaders. Children exhibit humility, wonder, honesty, innocence, trust, and dependence. Note four leadership lessons we glean from Mark 9; 10:

1. The greater the leader, the greater the servant (9:35).
2. Leaders include others when they serve (9:40).
3. Any service rendered will be rewarded (9:41).
4. Servant leaders must become childlike (10:13-16).