I welcome you to the last day of the
first quarter of this great year! It’s a period we are remembering and
celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus
Christ-The Greatest Leader of all Ages!
first quarter of this great year! It’s a period we are remembering and
celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus
Christ-The Greatest Leader of all Ages!
In this second part of our series on
leadership and interests, we shall briefly examine the leadership style of
Jesus and see whose interest he served in the course of his earthly leadership.
As a leader, Jesus lived for others and protected the interest of his followers
and the entire human race. This is obvious from the fact of his death, burial
and resurrection. He never committed any offense as a man but he took it upon himself
to pay the price of all our sins. Interestingly, from the choice of his
disciples, to their training and their commissioning to go and preach the
gospel, He never took any action to serve his own interest. It was all about
the Father and the wellbeing of the people he was leading and ministering to.
When the people were hungry, he didn’t just give them spiritual menu and
shouted “it is well with you”, leaving
them to go and fend for themselves. No! He ministered to them spiritually and
practically gave them food to eat! Even when his disciples went to look for
food, he was also concerned about the spiritual state of the Samaritan woman
and had to minister to her first. Thus, when the disciples enquired if he had
eaten, he simply affirmed, “My meat is to
do the will of Him that sent me and to finish His work” (John. 4:34). This
may sound awkward to some present day leaders who would have preferred to go
and look for how to put “soul and body” together before caring about the soul
of a notorious prostitute. Jesus was not that kind of leader. At a point in his
ministry, He had to wash the feet of his disciples even when it was uncommon
for a leader to stoop so low to do such menial service. He wasn’t interested in
public opinion but was more concerned about the welfare of his followers. The reason
for his actions was to exemplify the things he had taught them and also to
inculcate in them the model of leadership that God certifies– Selfless and
Pro-people Leadership! That is the Man we are commemorating his death and resurrection
this season. I am grateful to identify with Him. What about you?
leadership and interests, we shall briefly examine the leadership style of
Jesus and see whose interest he served in the course of his earthly leadership.
As a leader, Jesus lived for others and protected the interest of his followers
and the entire human race. This is obvious from the fact of his death, burial
and resurrection. He never committed any offense as a man but he took it upon himself
to pay the price of all our sins. Interestingly, from the choice of his
disciples, to their training and their commissioning to go and preach the
gospel, He never took any action to serve his own interest. It was all about
the Father and the wellbeing of the people he was leading and ministering to.
When the people were hungry, he didn’t just give them spiritual menu and
shouted “it is well with you”, leaving
them to go and fend for themselves. No! He ministered to them spiritually and
practically gave them food to eat! Even when his disciples went to look for
food, he was also concerned about the spiritual state of the Samaritan woman
and had to minister to her first. Thus, when the disciples enquired if he had
eaten, he simply affirmed, “My meat is to
do the will of Him that sent me and to finish His work” (John. 4:34). This
may sound awkward to some present day leaders who would have preferred to go
and look for how to put “soul and body” together before caring about the soul
of a notorious prostitute. Jesus was not that kind of leader. At a point in his
ministry, He had to wash the feet of his disciples even when it was uncommon
for a leader to stoop so low to do such menial service. He wasn’t interested in
public opinion but was more concerned about the welfare of his followers. The reason
for his actions was to exemplify the things he had taught them and also to
inculcate in them the model of leadership that God certifies– Selfless and
Pro-people Leadership! That is the Man we are commemorating his death and resurrection
this season. I am grateful to identify with Him. What about you?
Finally, hear what late Adekunle
Ajasin said about his leadership, “I came
into office in October 1979 with a set of my own native dresses, and left
office in December 1983 with same set of dresses, no addition and no
subtraction. I had two personal cars at the time I assumed office but left
without any: one had ended its serviceable lifespan with its use for the shadow
elections of 1982, while the other was borrowed by a political associate with
whom it ended up its lifespan.”
Ajasin said about his leadership, “I came
into office in October 1979 with a set of my own native dresses, and left
office in December 1983 with same set of dresses, no addition and no
subtraction. I had two personal cars at the time I assumed office but left
without any: one had ended its serviceable lifespan with its use for the shadow
elections of 1982, while the other was borrowed by a political associate with
whom it ended up its lifespan.”
This is incredible. Who among our
present day leaders can beat this record? May God help us all!
present day leaders can beat this record? May God help us all!
