Jesus said, “Teach them to obey everything that I have commanded you.”

That promise and invitation in Matthew 28:20 runs through this entire series. We are not merely learning what Jesus said. We are discovering what His words look like when they take on flesh in the places where we work, lead, decide, and carry responsibility.

One of the clearest things Jesus taught was that leadership in His Kingdom would look different.

The rulers of the world, He said, use authority to dominate others. They make their position felt. They remind people who is in charge.

“But it is not going to be that way with you.”

Instead, Jesus points us toward service.

“Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage.”
Matthew 20:26–28 (MSG)

This has given us the familiar language of “servant leadership.” It appears in books, conferences, mission statements, and organizational values. But like many good ideas, it can become so familiar that we no longer ask what it actually means.

Serving does not mean that the leader always says yes.

It does not mean avoiding difficult conversations, tolerating damaging behaviour, carrying everyone else’s responsibilities, or keeping people happy at any cost. It does not mean becoming invisible, exhausted, or resentful while quietly telling ourselves that this is what Jesus requires.

Jesus did not serve from insecurity. He did not need people’s approval, and He did not surrender His identity to their expectations. He could wash feet with tenderness and confront hypocrisy with courage. He could welcome the excluded and walk away from demands that were not His to carry.

His service flowed from knowing who He was and where He came from.

That matters deeply for business owners and leaders.

There is a kind of leadership that uses people to strengthen the leader’s position. Employees become instruments of productivity. Clients become evidence of success. Authority becomes a way to protect status, control outcomes, or silence disagreement.

But there is also a distorted form of servant leadership in which the leader becomes afraid to lead. Decisions are delayed because someone may be disappointed. Poor performance is left unaddressed because accountability feels unkind. The leader absorbs every problem until exhaustion turns into frustration with the very people they hoped to serve.

Neither domination nor disappearance reflects the way of Jesus.

Jesus shows us leadership that uses authority for the flourishing of others.

A serving leader still makes decisions. A serving leader may say no, set limits, correct behaviour, change direction, or end a working relationship. The difference lies in the purpose beneath the action. Authority is not used to protect ego or prove importance. It is used to create clarity, safety, growth, and the conditions in which people can do good work.

I have seen how easily leaders can confuse service with rescuing. When someone repeatedly fails to carry their responsibility, the leader steps in. Then steps in again. Eventually, the leader is doing two jobs while the other person remains unchanged.

That may feel helpful in the moment, but it may not truly serve either person.

Sometimes service means helping. Sometimes it means coaching.

Sometimes it means patiently teaching someone what they do not yet know. But sometimes service means allowing people to experience the weight of their own choices.

Love does not always remove consequences.

A serving leader asks more than, “How can I make this easier?” The deeper question is, “What does this person need in order to grow and flourish?”

The answer may be encouragement. It may be time, training, forgiveness, or another opportunity. It may also be honest feedback, a firm boundary, or a clear expectation.

This kind of leadership is only possible when we know that our identity does not come from our title or from being needed by everyone around us. We are already held in the love of the Father. We do not have to dominate people to feel powerful, and we do not have to disappear to prove that we are humble.

We are free to serve.

That freedom changes how authority feels in the workplace. Instead of standing above people, we stand with them. Instead of asking how the team can make us look successful, we ask how our leadership can help the team become healthy, capable, and fully alive.

This does not make leadership easier. Jesus’ way rarely protects us from the cost of love. But it does free us from leading out of fear.

Perhaps the question for a Christian leader is not simply:

Am I serving my people?

Perhaps it is:

Is the way I use authority helping the people entrusted to me flourish?

That may mean getting close enough to listen.

It may mean giving someone credit.

It may mean admitting that we were wrong.

It may mean making the decision everyone hoped we would avoid.

Jesus did not come to build His importance at the expense of others. He used His life to reveal the Father’s love and set people free.

And then He said:

It will be different among you.

Reflection Questions

1. Do I tend to lead through control, avoidance, rescuing, or genuine service?
2. Where have I confused servant leadership with always saying yes or keeping everyone happy?
3. Is there someone I am continually rescuing when clearer expectations or accountability might serve them better?
4. How could I use my authority this week to help someone else flourish?
5. What would change in my leadership if I truly believed I had nothing to prove and nothing to protect?

From the series Working the Jesus Way, Learning to Follow Christ in Business, Leadership, and Everyday Work