Easy to Follow: Trading Toxic Leadership for the Way of Jesusනියැදිය

Practicing Uncommon Compassion

The longer I’m in leadership, the more convinced I become that we’ve overvalued bravado, personality, and brute force—and undervalued faithfulness, empathy, and action-oriented love. In today’s culture, success is often measured by volume, dominance, and charisma. We reward leaders who take up space and command attention. But the Bible offers a completely different path. When we look at Jesus, we see a leader whose influence was built on uncommon compassion.

Jesus didn’t just feel compassion—he acted on it. He didn’t view empathy as weakness or compassion as optional. Instead, he made it a foundational leadership practice. From the very beginning of his public ministry, Jesus prioritized healing and helping the kinds of people most would ignore.

In Mark 1:39–45, we’re given a powerful snapshot of what compassion-driven leadership looks like in action. After preaching and healing throughout Galilee, Jesus was approached by a man with leprosy—an outcast. But Scripture tells us that Jesus was “moved with compassion.” He didn’t flinch. He didn’t back away.

Instead, he reached out and touched the man.

This was more than an act of healing. It was a statement of dignity. By touching the untouchable, Jesus defied social and religious expectations. He made the man feel seen, known, and valued. Jesus didn’t heal from a distance. He entered the pain, drew near, and said the words every hurting person longs to hear: “I am willing.”

Let that sink in—Jesus was willing.

Willing to slow down. Willing to be interrupted. Willing to risk social scorn. Willing to meet needs before asking for results. Willing to lead with love.

And the result? The man couldn’t stay silent. He became an evangelist, not just for Jesus’s power, but for his compassion.

As leaders, we need this reminder. If we want to mobilize people toward mission, we must start by meeting their needs. If we want to spark passion in our teams, we must first show them our willingness to care. If we want to be leaders who are easy to follow, we need compassion that interrupts our schedules, touches the broken, and tells the hurting, “You matter to me.”

Jesus shows us that compassion is not weakness—it’s kingdom strength.

Reflection Questions:

1. Would the people around you say that compassion is one of your superpowers as a leader?

2. What are two practical ways you could show compassion to the people you lead this week?

3. Why do you think compassion is so undervalued in many leadership cultures today?