The First Shall Be Last: Servant Leadership in Scripture

By Linda W. Belton

Painting vivid pictures in narrative and verse, Belton explores scripture through the lens of servant leadership and translates the language of faith into the language of the workplace. Often used in secular work environments, servant leadership is nonetheless rooted in universal spiritual truths. This book uses the Bible as a leadership manual, applying a filter of servant leadership and offering real-world guidance for our work lives.

In bite-sized chapters, twenty scriptural themes are examined from a unique and personal perspective, with original poetry providing a distinctive counterpoint to the material. The study questions included in each chapter make the book a relevant resource for private reflection or group discussion. The First Shall Be Last: Servant Leadership in Scripture strives to meet the reader at the intersection of spirituality and work, presenting new insights into the practicality of scripture and the sacredness of work.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 3, 2017
• ISBN: 9781973603924

Linda W. Belton

During her career, Linda W. Belton was appointed as a Senior Executive in the Veterans Health Administration, directed the Wisconsin State Hospital system, and held executive leadership positions in several private sector health care organizations. Linda holds an R.N. from Jameson School of Nursing, a B.S. from the University of the State of New York, and an M.S. from Columbia Pacific University. She was a Johnson Fellow at Harvard Universitys JFK School of Government (Senior Executives in State and Local Government), and completed the University of Rochesters program in Leading Organizations to Health. Belton served on the Board of Trustees of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, a lay Associate of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother (SSM), and has received three Presidential Rank awards for her professional contributions. She authored A Nobler Side of Leadership: The Art of Humanagement (2016), A Nobler Side of Leadership: The Workbook (2017), and has co-authored publications on Servant Leadership, CREW (Civility, Respect and Engagement in the Workplace), Organizational Health, and workplace violence. Linda currently lives with her husband in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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Copyright © 2017 Linda W. Belton.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Interior design and layout by Adrienne Belton.

RSVCE (unless otherwise noted):

Scripture quotations are from The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

KJV:

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

BSB:

Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible, copyright © 2016 by Bible Hub. Used by permission. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-9736-0393-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-0394-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-0392-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017916161

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/27/2017

Dedication

To James and Mildred Weber, who gave me life.

To Dorothy Onisko, Richard Kneller, and Raphael Narcisi, who gave me spirit.

Contents

Introduction

I.   The First Shall Be Last

Interiors

II.   In Possession of Self

Inside /Outside

III.   The Poor Where We Find Them

Who Are Your Poor?

IV.   By Their Fruits You Shall Know Them

Through a Glass Darkly

V.   Links in the Chain

The Succession of Mercy

VI.   The Whole: Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts

Magnum Opus

VII.   Being Light

Music to God’s Ears

VIII.   Be Not Afraid

The Companion

IX.   Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Prayer

X.   Servant Followership

The Dance of Leadership

XI.   Love Hurts…Sometimes

The Me-Attitudes

XII.   Intimacy and Interiority

Here, There, and Everywhere

XIII.   Moral Authority

A Burden Made Light

XIV.   Well Done, Faithful Servant

A Plentiful Harvest

XV.   The Fine Line Between Drowning and Walking on Water

Parting the Sea

XVI.   You Can’t Always Get What You Need

Seeing Into the Soul

XVII.   In The Spirit

Organization as Organism

XVIII.   Words Matter

The Mistake

XIX.   Reflection

Stillness

XX.   And the Last Shall Be First

The Leader As Shepherd

References

Bibliography

Postscript

About The Author

Introduction

For years I soft-pedaled any religious implications of servant leadership. It is taboo in so many work environments. Management might support the principles as long as there were no theological connections. I was relieved that it was a business leader, not a spiritual leader, who developed the philosophy of servant leadership. I was pleased to assure people that the principles of servant leadership are congruent with all religions and no religion.

All of that is true, yet it only goes so far. At its root, servant leadership is derived from universal spiritual truths. In my formation and practice as a Christian, servant leadership always brings me right back to Christ. I don’t believe that Jesus was the first servant leader or that he was the only servant leader, but his brand of leadership is what speaks to me. He is the model to whom I gravitate.

But let’s be pragmatic for a moment. The scriptures, especially but not exclusively the New Testament, are a leadership manual. Viewed through the eyes of faith, they reveal the character and characteristics of a servant leader. Perceived through the filter of servant leadership, they offer practical guidance for our work lives.

This book attempts to do just that. In twenty biblical themes, using both narrative and poetry, it explicates selected scripture through the lens of servant leadership. It translates the language of faith into the language of the workplace.

I have drawn upon my own insights and experience. I have offered my personal perspectives and interpretations. I have called upon both imagination and inspiration. Now I invite you to use yours as well…

Linda W. Belton

I.   The First Shall Be Last

But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. (Luke 22:26)

But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. (Luke 14:10–11)

The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. (Matthew 23:11–12)

He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all. (Mark 9:35)

But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. (Mark 10:31)

But whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant. (Mark 10:43)

The previous passages are rich with lessons about humility, sharing power, and being prepared.

Humility

Let’s take these readings literally for a moment. Where do you sit — at the head or foot of a table, or somewhere in between? At the right hand or the left? Does it make a difference if you are at a dinner table or a conference room table? At a party or a meeting? Where do you sit in church or in a classroom? Unless we are directed to do otherwise, most of us tend to sit in the same general place.

A seat at the head of the table often confers, or at least implies, authority. Traditionally it may be a place of honor. In many work environments, the leader is found at the head of the table, with others seated in some kind of descending order. Those who have less power are inclined to gravitate toward the foot of the table, or even find seats around the periphery. Proxemics are messages of power conveyed through positioning and place.

In a church or classroom setting, it is construed that the more enthusiastic or better prepared participants will be front and center, while those just going through the motions are hiding in the back or on the fringes. Conventional wisdom may judge people by where they elect to sit.

But is there another way of looking at place? For example, one may sit at the head of the table to better be seen, to intimidate, to court favor or to gain status. Or one may simply be more outgoing.

Those at the foot of the table may be more reserved. They may be prepared but reticent to contribute, enthusiastic but contemplative, or fully present but imagining the big picture.

In reality, a particular seat at the table is wholly neutral: it has only the meaning we give it. In subtext, however, the head of the table denotes honor and the foot signifies humility.

Humility has gotten a bad rap. It is often confused with self-deprecation, false modesty, or obsequiousness. That is not humility; it is hubris. Humble leaders lead from their competence rather than their position.

Humility is one of the distinguishing traits of a servant leader. In true humility, servant leaders accept the magnificence of their gifts, but know that these gifts are not of their own doing; that they come from grace. They are confident, unpretentious and authentic. While humility may be quiet, it is not weak. While it may be transparent, it is innately powerful. Yet that power is shared freely. While it shows deference to others, it nourishes its own spirit. It is a stamp of humility to accept the designation of servant.

First among Equals

Servant leadership turns the power pyramid on its head. The principle of primus inter pares, or first among equals, disperses the power. Leading humbly means leading from a level playing field. Leaders are not the sovereigns of those they lead, but their servants. The first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Primus inter pares decentralizes decision making and builds consensus. It places less emphasis on hierarchy and formal rules, and focuses more on empowering the team.

The leader who is first among equals does not abdicate accountability, but builds a team of leaders who are able to participate in problem solving and invest in solutions. By teaching them to fish, the servant leader is growing new servant leaders. Primus inter pares is a significant departure from the usual. It overlooks rank and hierarchy, as well as status and title, allowing great ideas to emerge from below and acknowledging that success is a collective effort.

In the servant organization, the person at the figurative head of the table shares that honor with everyone at the table. This person invites those on the sidelines to join at the table, offers everyone who wants it a seat at the table, and includes and welcomes all comers.

In many work environments, a seat at the table is prime real estate: an earned privilege and a perk of increasing responsibility, restricted to those who have paid their dues, limited to those in the inner circle— and used to reject those who aren’t.

Jesus invited women, manual laborers, and tax collectors to his table. There was no price of admission.

Earning vs Making Ready

I don’t believe that we have to earn that seat at the table; in truth, I don’t think we can. That seat is not the product of our own merits. But I do believe that we need to be prepared. When we’re called to move up to a better place, we must be ready. When we’re given the opportunity to serve at a higher level, we should have done our homework. For revelation to take root in us, the groundwork must be laid. For our service to bear fruit, the field must be cultivated.

Servant leaders have a special duty in this regard. In the work world, preparation can be a challenging premise. The urgency of the day prompts us to throw employees into the fray quickly, with less than adequate preparation for the basics of the job. To also prepare them to serve and to lead, in whatever their capacity, may seem insurmountable. Yet to the servant leader the essence of this preparation is foundational. Teaching these tenets to the many, even if only the few rise to positions of prominence, is a challenge worth undertaking. The role of servant leader as instructor, model