Others – Paul Nordman

Where Leadership Begins

It was just about time for the CEO to speak to our larger leadership team. Having already sat for much of the day, I chose to stand in the back of the room and stretch a bit while taking in what he had to say. I was soon joined by another vice president, who likewise preferred to stand, probably for the same reason. As the CEO approached the dais, my colleague leaned over and said, “I’m going to count the number of times he says, ‘I,’ ‘me,’ or ‘my’ in the first two minutes.” The seconds ticked off quickly, and when the designated time elapsed, he leaned over again and whispered, “fourteen.”

We roll our eyes at egotism, but self-centeredness is part of the human condition; though it assumes different forms, it is our nature. As a good friend comically quips, “I’m not much, but I’m all I think about.” Whatever its expression, “me first” stymies good leadership and fosters poor followership. It serves only one. So James exhorts us, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.”¹ Who better to exalt you — you or God? Paul likewise counsels us in the way of the Spirit, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,” he wrote, “but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”² This is where true leadership begins.

Which brings to mind another organizational head. The story is told of William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army, whose practice was to address their annual convention. Unable to attend one year because of poor health, he chose to communicate with the gathered faithful by telegram. The Salvation Army’s budget was tight, however, and telegrams were charged by the word. So Booth condensed his entire message into a single word, and wired it to be read aloud to the conventioneers. His brief address delivered in absentia to the anticipating crowd: “Others.” This simple, selfless, visionary call has inspired Salvationists for over 100 years hence.

Just for today, may we join their pursuit — their focus on and service to “others.” Then tomorrow, may we rise and join them again. In the Kingdom of God, there is no higher honor.

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. — Galatians 5:13 ESV

Father, how counterintuitive it is that our greatest joy and highest honor are found not in glorifying ourselves, but in serving others. This can only be Your wisdom, for it far exceeds our own. Shine through Your people, and be exalted on the earth. In Christ we pray. Amen.

¹ James 4:10 NLT
² Philippians 2:3 ESV

Others

Messiah! The people were waiting for Him, the prophets searching intently, for all had staked their hopes on this Anointed One who was to come. He would be their Savior, their deliverer, their “God with us.” Yet somehow, those who sought Him missed Him. He came, just as He promised, but they did not recognize Him, this One sent from God. How does this happen? How could this possibly be?

Perhaps it was because when Jesus entered the world of His creating that first Christmas night—humbly stepping into human flesh for a specific time and a specific purpose—He focused on what really was important: others. Think about it, if the Christ¹ had come in majestic splendor, could He have lived and taught among the people, caring for them with acts of compassion and opening Himself up to them with words of truth and love? Were He to dress in royal robes and adorn Himself in silver and gold, could He have shown us to how to give ourselves in humility for others? Had Jesus seated Himself aloft on golden thrones, how far would He have to had to have stooped to wash the soiled feet of others? And had He lived aloof from others, could He have bidden them, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”?²

The apostle Paul tells us that Jesus, though being in very nature God, “did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”³ You see, Jesus showed His genuine heart for us by becoming just like us—not merely in human form with flesh and blood, but by being like us, truly like us. Born with no fanfare. The son of a laborer. A servant. Not as one who tells others what to do, but as one who models what to do. Nothing phony, nothing fake; just real, the kind of person who earns our trust.

In fact, Jesus is the One we can trust. He’s shown it. He’s lived it. And two thousand years later, He is still calling us to Himself—to be forgiven and live forgiven, to entrust our broken life to Him in whom we have eternal life, and to take this love of God and share it with others.

This Christmas Day and every day, may we say “yes” with grateful lives, so all may see this Savior, this deliverer, this “God with us.”

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christ in me is salvation.

¹ “Christ” is the Greek word for the Hebrew word, “Messiah,” and the English term, “Anointed One.”
² Matthew 11:28
³ Philippians 2:6-8