THE HEART OF A SERVANT LEADER
Once upon a time, a servant leader stepped into my life. Even though I was only five years old and the leader was my first public school teacher, she impacted me so deeply that the years melt away when I think of those days.
At a time when teachers were being instructed to keep the upper hand, this teacher held me on her lap. She didn’t tell me that my crying and fear of the movie we were watching were unacceptable. She didn’t tell me to act like “a big girl” (something I had heard from other leaders). No, she brought me into a place of honesty and let me know that she cared.
The next day, a substitute teacher mistakenly showed us the same movie and treated me very differently. While both teachers hold a place in my memories, the first teacher was the one I longed to imitate as I grew older.
Over the years, I’ve sat under many servant leaders – and under other leaders who weren’t servant-hearted at all. I’ve also had my fair share of being a leader without a servant’s heart. I have realized that just longing to imitate my favorite teacher is not enough to carry me into that place of servanthood that Jesus described in Matthew 20:26-28:
”But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
FROM THE HEART OF A CHILD
So, what changed my perspective?
A young child came into my life when I was a newly-minted Children’s Pastor’s wife. I felt so ready to teach those kids important lessons, but God used ten-year-old Robert (not his actual name) to teach me more than I could ever teach him.
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I would love to have you join me over at Chronic Joy today, where I am so honored to share a post for their new section on being a Servant Leader. We each will find ourselves in a place of leading at some point in our lives. The question is, will we take up a position of personal authority, or will we take on the heart of a Servant Leader as our Lord showed us as He walked this earth?
Click here to join me to see the way that God melted my own heart for serving.
BettieGsRAseasons 
Oh, Bettie, thank you for sharing this. What a special teacher you had when you were 5! And yes, God teaches us many lessons through children! I was really moved by these examples. Your prayer really resonates in my heart. And these questions are good reminders to search my heart – “Am I drawn by God’s call to serve the precious people He has placed right in front of me? Do I celebrate, encourage, and listen to others?” Thank you for the encouragement to love and serve the people right in front of me, however many or few they be. Love and blessings to you, dear friend!
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Dear Trudy, thank you for being a kindred heart in seeing these blessings from a childlike heart. Those little ones have such a way of getting right to the point of God’s true heart of love. And oh how thankful I am for that very special teacher I had. She was a real gift from the Lord. And from what I can see on her Facebook page, I’m not the only one who feels that way. She touched a lot of young hearts. I’m so glad that you are a dear friend in this journey also, dear sister. Your encouragement and sharing means so much to me. Blessings and love to you. ❤️
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Just picturing you on that teacher’s lap today brings tears to my eyes, Bettie. Oh what a Good Shepherd He is of our hearts and indeed what gifts little children are. I am reminded of the lessons my coachee taught me recently too, someone also on the spectrum. Oh may God continue to humble me to really listen for and to His heart in both myself and others.
BTW I love thinking of you being that same sweet presence your teacher once was to you, to Logan now and to so many of us children of God through your love and prayers, the world over. I sure have felt you continually lifting me up into the arms of my Savior. May the Lord shower you and your precious family in such sweet mercy these coming days, revealing His pride in you and Barry and Becky and your whole family for the sweet mercy you have been through Him to His Body, the church.
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Oh Anna you bring tears to my eyes today especially. I have felt so very weak in this virus I caught, and it’s spread thru the household. But truly God is so present in our weaknesses, isn’t He? Thank you also for always lifting me and my family to Jesus too!! And thank you for all of your sharing about the beauty of each childlike heart! Oh may we let the Lord lift our eyes to His precious perspective! Blessings and love to you dear friend. ❤️
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Your story hits home. I’m teaching summer school right now and one of the children struggles with a severe speech impediment. She exudes joy, however, and is an beautiful example to me.
Thanks for sharing about this sweet little boy.
Sincerely,
Tammy
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Thank you Tammy, for your insightful reply! Isn’t it amazing how God brings such joy thru the very ones that the world has set aside? May the Lord bless you richly this summer as you seek to share the love of Christ in the classroom!
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What a fabulous topic for Chronic Joy, and a beautiful post by you. I’m learning that wisdom comes in heartfelt, genuine and dedicated ways through servants who live joyfully through chronic pain. I bless you Bettie. Thank you!!
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Dear Lisa, thank you for your kind and insightful words! Truly you are so right–our Saviour is so merciful to teach us how to live joyfully through chronic pain, serving where He places us. You’ve brought tears to my eyes to pause with that thought. Blessings to you also dear friend!
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