Leadership From the Bottom UP

In 2001 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I faced a dilemma. A couple I was working with fell into old habits; from clean and sober to relapse and raw. She fell into her old habit of trolling for "tricks" (sexual encounters; prostitution) and the police put her in jail. He, making $40 an hour with his new construction job, gave up a peaceful routine to chaotic crack use; a tragic pattern of relapse.

He called me and said, "Pastor Mark, come over; I can't do this anymore." I did. Upon entering the house, he completed a note stating that his baby daughter was going to me; upon signing it, he placed the baby in my arms. "Take her!"

This will always humble me. What was I to do with this baby girl? What next with mom in jail and dad strung out on crack? Fortunately, the baby girl found a foster home and was reunited with mom and dad over a year later. Had I not been there, what then? Abandonment? Neglect? Yes. This experience woke me up and forced me to re-examine why I got into ministry to start with. Thank God this family is still together as of 2019; all three!

To lead is to serve. In John 13, Jesus washes His disciples' feet at a moment when Judas was about to betray Him to the cross. Jesus spoke the truth, healed the sick, and restored everyone around Him, and those who at once said, "Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!" ended up saying, "Crucify him!" and killed Jesus. Even though He knew that He was about to be betrayed and killed on an executioner's cross, Jesus served anyhow.

When I got the call from the man regarding his wife and situation, I went. On the other hand, I had to be ready. I learned:

1. Be ready to "shovel out the manure" in other people's lives. When God leads you to someone, be ready to help them to clean their "barn."
2. Be open and judge not. Give yourself to the Lord first; how do we love?
3. Love with boundaries. I was able to help the family in the story above by saying, "Yes, I will take your daughter to a safe place." I was also able to say "No, I will NOT solve every problem." I connected the daughter to a loving family which brought hope outside of me.
4. That leadership begins with "What can I do to help YOU win?"

John Maxwell discusses servant leadership in his book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. In his "Law of Connection," chapter, he helps the leader to understand that she needs to:

1. Live your message.
2. Go to where they, (followers) ARE.
3. Focus on THEM, not yourself.
4. Believe in them.
5. Offer direction and hope. (Maxwell, 2007)

I had a choice. Avoid the commitment to help this family or go all IN; of course, I went to them offering hope. When you follow Jesus' example in John 13, your first question is, "How can I wash my followers' feet?" This means starting from the bottom up; never top down.

During college, I was an Orderly at a local nursing home. As I wiped bottoms, changed adult diapers, bathed male and female residents who could not bathe themselves, got cursed, got hit and was confused as someone else half the time, I learned how God was in control. I needed to stay the course. When you serve those who cannot help themselves without condition, you learn how to meet people where they are.

Pictured above is me standing in front of one of our community projects in Bangladesh. As we at Community Recovery have been able to empower Bangladeshi Christian leaders, we started at the bottom with hands up and hearts open in Christ. Today our servant leaders in that country help to meet the needs to thousands. Only God!

Examine your heart. What is your motive for leading? Are you leading from the top to the bottom or the bottom to the top? Try leading from the bottom up; discover how God will use you to make an eternal difference in the office, your home and your community! You will never be the same.

Reference

1. Maxwell, John (2007). The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.