Leading with humility

Leading with humility

S Luke 14

7 And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. 10 But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

O  This parable was given to Jesus'  disciples so would understand the lesson in leadership that we are to lead with humility. In the traditions of the times, when invited to someone's house for dinner there was a order of precedence at which people sat at the table. The guest of honor and the host at the head, and then the more distinguished guest closer to the head of the table. What Jesus teaches his disciples here is that to leading with humbleness first ensures that you are not humiliated, but come as a humble servant.  This insurers your heart is in the right place to serve, and that you are not exalting yourself above the one who sent you, or called for you.

A The application for me seems clear, that I am called by God the father, to serve and to lead. When I allow my arrogance to take over, I am exulting myself above him who sent me. This particularly resonates in me as I experience my taking the role as the operations officer at Puget Sound Naval shipyard. God has set me to serve, and when I see the gaps in what I believe good looks like, I have at times attacked the people have not the process.  I have not started at the end of the table I have a mediately exulted myself to the top. This is especially true when leading the project superintendent's in my shipyard. I need to begin my approach with them by sitting at the end of the table and waiting for the project superintendent to invite me in.

P. Lord this is my prayer that you grow me to be a humble servant leader. That you would help me to example what Christ has done for all of us.  Help me to do this at home and lead my wife and children, at work with those I work for, and those who work for me and finally the peers in which I lead along side. I pray this in Jesus name amen.