If you want to make a meaningful, positive difference in the world…

Leaders, Be Humble

If you want to deepen your own relationship with God…

Leaders, Be Humble

If you want to grow in grace, wisdom, and strength…

Leaders, Be Humble

If you want to engender trust and collaboration…

Leaders, Be Humble

If you want to inspire and encourage…

Leaders, Be Humble

In the words of exemplary leader Stephen Covey:

Humility is the mother of all virtues.

As I think about the mantle I want to pass on to my daughters, I wonder:

• What Personal Traits Do I Most Admire?
• What Virtues Do I Most Desire?
• What Values Do I Hold Most Dear?

To strive to live a life that embodies these traits, virtues, and values is to model for my children what my faith has taught me about leadership in general, about servant leadership in particular. Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll share my selections on this site with the hope they’ll help you decide what legacy you wish to leave your loved ones.

Back to my point. Humility. The Mother of All Virtues.

Leaders, Be Humble!

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5 quoting Proverbs 3:34

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9

Scripture is replete with passages encouraging us to be humble, to be meek, but certainly not to be doormats.

Rather, we are to be powerful, while recognizing that our power does not come from our own efforts; our power comes from God.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13

If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:11

So how do we become more humble? One way we can infuse humility into our life and leadership style is by studying the great servant leaders of all time… and implementing what we learn.

Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth. ~Numbers 11:30

Two lessons we learn from Moses are to obey God and to accept help and wise counsel from others (e.g., Aaron and Jethro).

Two lessons we learn from Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela are to value the rights of all human beings and to strive for justice with humility, strength, and grace.

Two lessons we learn from Mother Teresa and Franklin D. Roosevelt are to empathize deeply with the poor and the underprivileged and to take action on their behalf to restore hope and faith.

We can also infuse humility into our lives by emulating those present day servant leaders we admire most.

I offer my friend Sharon Eimer as Present Day Servant Leader, Exhibit A.

That’s Sharon K. Eimer, Public Defender, Lynchburg, Virginia.

Sharon was my boss. A brilliant woman, she continues to humbly, mercifully, and justly defend the rights of those who’ve been accused of a crime or crimes, but who cannot afford to hire private counsel. Whenever I had a question or three about how best to handle a case, Sharon helped me. I never saw her angry or impatient. I never saw her arrogant or snarky. She cares deeply about her clients, her staff, her attorneys… and it shows. With all this brilliance and aplomb, you’d think she’d have an “attitude,” as they say. But no. Sharon is just Sharon. Devoted wife. Devoted mother of twins. Dedicated public servant.

Questions to Ponder

1. Which leaders do you most admire and why?
2. Do you want to infuse your life and leadership style with humility?
3. If yes, how do you plan to do that?

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me remember that I am your creation, created specifically to do the good works you’ve called me to do. If I am equipped for a specific purpose, it is because you have equipped me. Help me become more and more like you each day… to be a cheek-turning, table-turning, feet-washing servant leader. Help me remember that I serve others through the strength you provide. Amen.

He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

Photo by Flickr (Len Matthews)