7 Daily Choices Podcast Episode 12: The Circle of Submission
The First Servant
What it means to be the head?
The first to serve
The rule of the first servant: if I have been called to lead, I have been called to surrender first.
Leadership cannot be about seeking more power, but about taking the responsibility first.
Leaders take responsibility and give away praise.
The Story of washing feet. It is a choice to put others first.
The other idea of headship is that the head is the beginning or source of the rest of the river. If the source of the river is pure and strong, the river will have purity and strength as well.
Being the head means you produce that which your followers need to be their very best.
The First Follower
As others have said, "Leading from the second seat." Every leader needs a first follower. Someone who will get behind their leader to help the implementation of their vision.
You are not responsible for creating vision, but for carrying it.
You are not responsible for anyone's choice to follow, but you are responsible for showing them how to follow.
You are not responsible for the leaders decisions, but you are responsible for helping him to make good ones.
You cannot fail if you follow whole-heartedly
You cannot lose if you are loving and honest
You must submit
How do I help?
Every leader has flaws and blindspots, help them avoid the pitfalls of their weakness.
A great leader will humble himself, it is not your job to humble him.
Your place is to help him appear strong, and trust God and the leader to choose when they must humble themselves.
Servants
Those who follow, slaves obey your earthly master's as you serve Christ. Serve with enthusiasm as though you were doing what you should and then do more.
Act as though your service is not to your leader, but to God himself.
Learning to do a job, and learning how to get a job done are two different skills.
Don't think that leadership makes like easier.
Honor your master and serve them well.
Always look to take the next lowest seat.
Head serves, the next lowest seat is the first follower who serves both leader and servants, finally the servants serve the first follower and the leader.
This creates a culture of serving, and a culture of serving is a culture of thriving. Whatever position you hold in your organization, if you see your job as serving all those around you as you would serve the Lord, then very quickly you will find yourself honored for who God has made you to be.
You will live a life of fulfillment and purpose, and you will find yourself full of life.
