A couple of thoughts on leadership vs. power.Jesus was training his disciples to be leaders. “You know that the kings of the gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority upon them,“ he said, “but not so with you: for whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” He is training them to be leaders of God’s people, encouraging them to greatness, and applauding in his own way their competitive desire to be first; but he needs to lay down some principles about what greatness looks like in the kingdom of God.Here are several ways of stating a key principle:

  • Leaders — true leaders in any organization — set it as a goal to make themselves unnecessary; whereas seekers of power have set a goal to make themselves indispensable.
  • Leaders seek to become superfluous to their organization.
    Power-seekers seek to become essential to their organization.
  • Leaders seek to help others lead.
    Power-seekers want followers.
  • The leader wants to help the organization achieve its goals.
    The Power-seeker wants to use the organization to achieve his own goals.

The things that flow out from this principle are legion.

Much more on this to come.