If you’ve ever worked in an unhealthy environment where you felt your superiors were taking advantage of you or didn’t value you, you know how drained and unfulfilled it leaves you. Perhaps you’re familiar with this thought: “If I was in charge, I would do things differently.”
As an entrepreneur, you’re finally in a position where you’re in control—you’re the big boss. Now that you have employees or people you work alongside, do you do things differently? Are you the superior you always wished you had?
Power, intelligence, and work ethic—while enticing and important—aren’t all that’s needed to make a good leader. A good leader makes the people under them feel empowered, valued, and appreciated. They’re understanding, empathetic, and willing to serve others.
If you don’t know what makes a good and godly leader, look to Scripture. Jesus explains what makes a good leader in Matthew 20:25-28 (ESV):
But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
What are key servant leadership characteristics? Here are two great examples of leaders who humbled themselves to serve others in the Bible.
Esther was brought up from humble Jewish beginnings to become King Ahasuerus’ queen. She kept her identity secret, which played a part in winning the king’s favor. When Esther’s cousin, Mordecai, refused to bow before Haman, the grand vizier, Haman received permission from the king to put Mordecai and the Israelite people to death.
Mordecai pleads his case before Esther, begging her to save him and their people. She resolved to go before the king without permission, knowing this could lead to her death. She approached the king humbly and used wisdom to win his favor before letting him know Haman had sentenced her people to death.
Through her resolve, humility, and bravery, Esther risked her own life to save her people, becoming an amazing example of servant leadership.