Be the Glue

 Blessed be God who animates our lives and calls us to question and to understand radically subversive ways of leadership. AMEN

The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.

These critical words come at the height of Jesus’ conversation with/lecture to the disciples who are grappling with greatness, letting go of their own notions of such and embracing or living into God’s greatness offered. In fact if we take a larger view of the last few weeks this is the third time the disciples have grossly misunderstood holy greatness! Yet we are somewhat consoled because three is a magic number in the Bible.

Jesus has been very patient with their continued misunderstandings. In this Gospel passage He challenges them in the face of their selfish requests to dig deeper and enter a new understanding of what following Jesus means, what the implications of going to the cross are, and whose ultimate leadership and authority is at issue: not theirs or any other human’s but God’s.

There is irony and there is subversion as we have come to expect…

In the summation of true discipleship and offering of the key to Christ’s salvation, as ransom for all who follow, they and we are told to “serve” as Christ has modeled for us as he lives and teaches and moves toward the cross. Service then is the ultimate identity for disciples. And it is entirely counterintuitive and countercultural…no surprise really. 

In this, yet another reflection of radical irony, we are called to pause and to respond with humility and authentic surrender. It is the greatest hurdle for us humans even in our desire to follow.

Faith tells us this last shall be first subversive restatement is true and right again and again…

We are left with the How of it…

In the latter half of the 20th century there was a kind of servant leadership movement. A man by the name of John Greenleaf founded the Center for Servant Leadership. In so doing he highlighted the story of his inspiration in addition to Jesus’. 

He cited Hermann Hesse’s book Journey to the East, itself calling to mind a certain following of the Star, as having crystalized servant leadership for him. In the book a character named Leo is the servant for the elite travelers. He not only attends to their physical needs but becomes the “glue” which holds them all together under dire circumstances. When he has to depart, the group, the journey, fall apart.

It may be that this attitude of service is the presence of Christ which upholds and cares for all of us. In service we too are called to be that presence of the holy to ourselves and our neighbors. We fail to do this when consumed with positions or places which are hierarchically above but spiritually below.

More importantly for today I believe is understanding the “gluey” part of servant leadership which is the Christian mission.

That greatness which Jesus inspires has to do with humility, sacrifice, authenticity and care. Servant leadership is no less leadership because it hasn’t a front or back, a first or last. Servant leadership shifts the power and energy toward the manifestation of love and away from the acquisition of award. The service is itself the reward and the release.

Service releases us from the false idols and the burdens of fame and fortune for their own sake.

And that is the “ransom” part. The ultimate paradox of Christ and for us is that by ultimate and whole service our lives are saved. Salvation and hence liberation come from humility, patience, love and kindness applied to justice and mercy.

A “ransom” is defined as something of value given for the sake of liberating a captive 

captive to selfishness and misunderstanding the ransom paid by Jesus offers the freedom to be generous, patient, kind, and humble. This is the freedom from sin toward eternal life.

What then does Jesus ask of us: to serve that all might be saved.

What then do we ask of each other: Will you let me be your servant /

let me be as Christ to you / Pray that I may have the grace/ to let you be my servant too (Servant Song lyrics)

May we become the servants we are called to be and in so doing experience and help bring about divine liberation

What a Kingdom that will be!