Servant Leadership

I’ll never forget the very first meeting I had with my team after being moved into a leadership position. To break the ice and help us work together toward a common goal, my boss asked each person to share one strength they saw in our organization and one area where they believed we needed to grow. One by one, everyone shared their thoughts, until it was the turn of a new person in our team. She looked around and then said something that took me by surprise: “I think the weakest part of this organization is you.”

In that moment, I was in shock. But it was also a clear sign that I had work to do, not just in strategy or operations, but in building unity, trust, and a healthy team dynamic.

As you might imagine, I took this to God. I hadn’t been actively seeking this leadership role; it was something He had placed in my hands. And so I prayed, “Lord, You put me here. One of them thinks I’m the weakest part of this organization. This wasn’t my idea, it was Yours. So now I need You to show me how to lead them.”

God faithfully answered, leading me to Luke 22:27 (NLT):
“Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.”

That verse struck my heart. God didn’t direct me to earn their approval by chasing titles or credentials. He didn’t tell me to prove myself with achievements. He showed me to serve them wholeheartedly.

So that’s what I did. I became the one running back and forth making sure my team had what they needed to work effectively. I listened to their stories, learned about their struggles, celebrated their victories, and paid attention to the things that truly mattered to them. Without realizing it at first, those moments built genuine relationships and trust.

Time passed, and during another team meeting, that same new recruit spoke up. This time she said, “I didn’t realize it then, but she’s actually the one who works the hardest, and she brings real strength to this organization.”

By then, I didn’t need her validation. We had already built a relationship based on respect and trust. But that moment was important not because of what she said, but because it confirmed what God had been teaching me all along: the most effective way to lead others is through servant leadership. By seeing those around me as the gifts they are, and taking time to genuinely know them before trying to correct or direct them, I could lead in a way that reflected the heart of Christ.

If you are in a leadership role today, I want to encourage you: serve your people. Bring them food. Ask them the deeper questions, the ones that might make you a little uncomfortable, like How are your finances? Is there anything you need? When was the last time you surprised someone on your team with a gas gift card, or diapers for their baby? You may not be able to cover every bill or solve every problem, but I promise you, acts of gratitude and genuine care will leave a lasting impact.

Leadership isn’t about being the most impressive person at the table. It’s about being the one who quietly serves, faithfully leads, and lifts others up so that together you can accomplish what God has called you to do. I want to challenge you to intentionally serve your team. Stop and pick up a gift card, not because it’s their birthday, but simply to show them they’re valued and cared for. Surprise that new parent with a small gift for their baby. Bring someone something they need without announcing it in advance. These simple, thoughtful acts can open doors for deeper connection and remind your team that they matter to you beyond their work.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I need Your guidance to lead my team well. Show me creative, meaningful ways to serve them, not just in tasks, but in their hearts and lives. If there’s anything within me that’s holding me back from serving them wholeheartedly, reveal it to me. I don’t want to be the reason this team struggles to grow, or why someone feels unseen or unvalued.

Help me create an environment where each person feels like they’re part of a family in this season. I recognize that some will only walk this path with me for a few days, others for months or years, but however long they stay, let their time under my leadership leave a lasting, life-giving impact. And when our seasons together come to an end, may they remember that they were cared for, that I saw them, and that I truly served them, not just directed them.

Lead me, Lord, so I can lead them well.
Amen.