A Servant Leader

". . . He has always refused to wear a wig or dress in any finer clothing than the poor homemade things I sew. And he has such a way of standing, with one fist clenched at his side and the other clenched straight out before him! Although some men will laugh when they see him and hear the abrupt way in which he speaks, they soon stop when they hear what he has to say. Did you know,” she added, looking around the table, “that Thomas Jefferson himself once said, ‘That is Mr. Sherman, of Connecticut, a man who never said a foolish thing in his life.’”

The above sketch and quotation is from our latest story in production, When I am Weak. This short story about statesman Roger Sherman, seems more and more important considering the 2016 election and the inauguration of president Trump. 

No matter what side of the political spectrum you fall on, the point is that leadership looks different in Christ than it does in the world. Recently, our staff was reading one of the crucifixion accounts. Even in the midst of the agony of the cross, Jesus' focus is on others rather than Himself. He prays for His enemies (Luke 23:34), He directs John to care for Mary (John 19:26-27), He promises peace to the believing criminal (Luke 23:43), and of course He is laying down His life for the sins of many (Heb. 9:28). But is this "other" focus seen in Christ just "pie in the sky" for the rest of us?

Not so! Otherwise Jesus would not have given this explicit directive to His disciples:

    Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matt. 20:25-28)

In the cross, Jesus not only sets an example of servant leadership, but accomplishes the work whereby it is possible in the lives of His disciples (2 Cor. 5:14-15). That means a story about a Christian statesman like Roger Sherman is worthy to lay before children. Not to the end that they simply say, "here was a good man," but that they conclude, "here was Christ's good work in a man" and then consider "if in Him, why not in me?"

For more info visit http://biblevisuals.org/production-projects/