JP77: The Servant of All: Leading with the Heart of Christ

It was one of those awkward moments among the disciples. They had been walking with Jesus, witnessing miracles and marveling at His power, yet their hearts were still tethered to the world’s view of greatness. As they traveled, they argued about status, imagining who had earned the highest spiritual grade. Who among them was the greatest? The apostle Mark describes their interaction in this way:

“They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest. Sitting down, he called the Twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last and servant of all.” He took a child, had him stand among them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one little child such as this in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me does not welcome me, but him who sent me.” Mark 9:33–37.

Jesus waited with divine clarity until they arrived at the house in Capernaum. Then he asked the dreaded question: “What were you arguing about on the road?” Silence followed.  Why? Because they didn’t remember.  No, because they were ashamed.

Jesus’ response highlights a revolutionary truth: “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last and a servant of all.” Then he called a child, a minor, unnoticed, and dependent, and placed him in the center. “Whoever welcomes one little child such as this in My name welcomes Me.”

This moment wasn’t just a corrective for a prideful argument. It was a teaching that went against every leadership model known to man, and it continues to do so today, reminding us what it means to lead with the heart of Christ.

Embrace the Upside-Down Kingdom

We live in a world obsessed with titles, platforms, and influence. Even in the church, the temptation to measure greatness by attendance, staff size, baptisms, budgets, or social media followers is strong. But in the kingdom of Jesus, greatness is redefined.

The greatest is the one who serves.

This isn't servant leadership as a management, marketing, or manipulation technique. Jesus didn’t present service as a tool to grow a following or a clever way to influence people. He meant it as the stand-alone essence of kingdom character. It is the defining quality of those who truly follow Him and the cut line for those called to leadership in the church.

To be great in God’s kingdom means willingly stepping down, humbling oneself, and choosing the towel over the throne. Jesus, the King of Kings, washed feet. He did not demand to be served—He served. And He calls His followers, especially those who lead, to do the same.

Pursue Christ-Formed Leadership

This teaching strikes powerfully toward the hearts of pastors and ministry leaders. Those who are entrusted with spiritual oversight carry both influence and responsibility. But when that authority is wielded from a place of privileged control and seeks to motivate by fear, guilt, or obligation, it undermines the gospel we preach.

Some leaders drive their people harder than they disciple them. Some guilt their teams into performance rather than gracefully equipping them. Some rule through fear, hiding behind a facade of spiritual language and community activity while producing a culture of insecurity, intimidation, and exhaustion behind the scenes.

Jesus’ example leaves no room for boardroom-like authoritarian control. He models servant-hearted leadership that nurtures, empowers, and lays down self for the good of others. He did not coerce His disciples into obedience; He called them into an authentic relationship. He did not shame them into ministry; He invited them into collaborative mission.

Pastor, if you lead a staff or congregation, consider:

Do your people feel like tools to build your vision or maximize your platform, or treasures to be nurtured and developed?

Do they serve because your loving example inspires them, or because they fear your institutional authority?

Do they enjoy partnering with you, or are they anxious about your expectations?

Do you find yourself enjoying privileges that you deny to those you serve and lead?

Your answer may reveal more than your leadership style - it may reveal your alignment (or misalignment) with the heart of Jesus.

Cultivate The Heart of Christ Within You

Rather than a demotion, Jesus’ statement, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all,” invites us to experience the freedom and power of Christlike leadership.

When pastors and leaders model servanthood:

Staff and teams flourish in safety and grace.

Congregations are transformed into disciple-making communities.

The culture shifts from performance to participation.

The attention moves from the pulpit to the people - every member invited to engage in the mission.

The call to servant leadership does not mean leaders have no authority. It means they steward their authority through humility, love, and a deep desire to elevate others above themselves.

Remember the Child in the Room

Jesus’ visual aid that day - placing a child in their midst - was not accidental. In ancient culture, children had no status or claim to honor. Yet Jesus says that to welcome such a one is to welcome Him.

The greatness He seeks is not found in public acclaim but in private acts of unseen service. The actual test of a leader is not how they preach to the crowd, but how they treat the child, the outsider, the overlooked, and the weak.

To receive them in Jesus’ name is to receive Jesus Himself.

Jesus has already shown the way. Let’s follow Him there.

Be great - not by climbing higher, but by kneeling lower.

Because the greatest in His kingdom will always be the servant of all.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, you did not come to be served, but to serve—and to give Your life as a ransom for many. Forgive us when we chase status, protect our platforms, or lead from fear rather than love. Cleanse our hearts of selfish ambition and renew the joy of humble, Spirit-led service. Teach us to pattern our lives after you. Let our words and actions reflect your posture - gentle, lowly, and full of grace. Raise up a new generation of leaders who kneel before they speak, and let your kingdom come in our churches, neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and every place where people gather as it is in heaven.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen

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Photo by DESIGNECOLOGIST on Unsplash

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