[Spirit of Leadership] PreparationSample

Test of Servanthood

Joshua was Moses’ servant. Scripture calls him Moses’ aide. He was faithful. He was loyal. He served God by serving those over him, and he did it with joy, consistently, for a long time. 

A big question people in leadership often have is, “Who do I put in places of authority?” To lead a team, first, you must be FAT. You’ve got to be faithful, available, and teachable. Second, you’ve got to be full. You must be full of the Holy Spirit. You’ve got to be empowered by God because He makes all the difference. And third, you must be fruitful. Leaders are capable, excellent, and can produce good results. 

When the apostles needed someone to serve the widows in Jerusalem, their command was to find wise people full of the Holy Spirit. You need people on your team like that: full of wisdom and full of the Holy Spirit. Be that kind of person. You also want people who do not need the limelight in order to serve, who are content to be in the background rather than on the platform—whose life, when no one is looking, is powerful and mighty. 

Jesus redefined leadership. The traditional view of leadership is that people are at the bottom and the leader is at the top. You must climb the ladder to have authority over others. Jesus turned leadership upside down. He said that if you want to be a leader, be the servant of all. The leader actually goes to the bottom and holds the people up. To Jesus, leadership was about more than privilege and authority; it was about responsibility and service. 

To be a Spirit-empowered leader in our world, you’ve got to pass the test of servanthood. Can you serve when no one’s looking, when no one can see you on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok? Can you still serve with gladness and joy, and are you willing to accept more and more responsibility? If so, you are ready to be a servant leader in the Kingdom of God.