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Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
Taking the Gospel to prayer
From one perspective, today's text is another twist on the "Golden Rule" - Those in authority should not live by different standards than the ones they give others to follow. It is another direct reminder of the importance of humility. But for prayer today, may I suggest that our focus be on "servant leadership".
You can find the model referenced these days in business (https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/03/11/traditional-leadership-vs-servant-leadership/?sh=7fe05d2a451e or https://sites.psu.edu/leadership/2017/04/03/starbucks-servant-leadership/), education (https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1230516.pdf) and the world of non-profits (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283625040_Challenging_Servant_Leadership_In_The_Nonprofit_Sector_The_Side_Effects_Of_Servant_Leadership). While the concept is attributed to Greenleaf, the roots are in our text. The leader's purpose is to serve the follower and, in doing, empower the strengths of the follower. That empowerment calls the follower to engage in the same. In caring for one another, you accomplish success for the whole.
Yes, the model is more complicated than that synopsis, but our prayer need not be: Lord show me where to serve today that I may be the instrument of bringing Your message to the world today.
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