Human Leadership or Servant Leader?

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 3

Focus Verse:  1 Corinthians 3: 10 "Using the gift that God gave me, I did the work of an expert builder and laid the foundation, and someone else is building on it. But each of you must be careful how you build."

Are you seeking to be a leader? Are you seeking to be a servant of Christ?  The apostle Paul is one of the most well known leaders of the New Testament.  He did not use his leadership for gain.  He did not use it as a source of pride.  He used it to serve.  It was through serving that his leadership was established.  He knew that it all belonged to God.

Paul became confronted by some who would wish to follow Apollos.  These people were arguing and living by the world's standards.  What did Paul do?  He did NOT respond with jealousy.  He condemned them for their arguing.  (He said that jealousy and quarreling showed their worldly behavior.) He knew that this was not a ministry that belonged to him or to anyone else.  Paul was a servant of Christ, by whom many learned to believe. He said that each one will do the work that God has for him.  It does not make any difference who builds which part of the ministry.  Each person will do his part that the Lord gives him to do.  Paul was a servant first and a leader second.

If you have a position of leadership, you are told (in verse 18) to not be wise by the world's standard.  You must depend on the Lord to teach you each day.  "Let each man be careful how he builds." (verse 10)  Verse 18 tells us that it is possible for us to fool ourselves.  This should make us very cautious.  Because we are able to fool ourselves, we should trust the Lord more each day as we seek His council.

Very few of us will be leaders, but we are ALL called to be servants of Christ.

~Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries