Leaders Who Go Low and Aim High True leadership begins with submission and ends in the joyful service of others. November 24th, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

 

Leaders Who Go Low and Aim High

True leadership begins with submission and ends in the joyful service of others.

November 24th, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Leadership, for many, evokes images of authority, strategy, and vision. Yet, in the eyes of God, leadership looks far different. It’s less about command and more about surrender. Less about spotlight and more about service. As one pastor joked, it often feels like being “a fat sow with a bunch of little piglets.” Crude as it may sound, anyone who has led especially in ministry, family, or faith knows the feeling of being perpetually poured out. But here’s the irony this draining, demanding posture is exactly what God calls great leadership.

Whether you’re leading in the church, at home, in a ministry, or in your workplace, Scripture gives us a powerful framework: godly leaders go low in posture and aim high in purpose.

The Posture: Humble Submission

Let’s start with the posture. We often hear the phrase servant leader, but that term can be misunderstood. It doesn’t mean being passive or spineless. Rather, it means being a leader who understands they are first and foremost under authority. Just as the Roman centurion in Matthew 8:9 acknowledged his own position under command, great leaders in God’s kingdom recognize that they are not the final authority. They submit to God, to Scripture, and to the wise counsel of others.

This posture produces leaders who are quick to listen, slow to speak, and eager to give credit rather than take it. They are not threatened by correction. They admit faults. They don’t hoard power they share it. This kind of submission doesn’t make a leader weak; it makes them trustworthy.

The apostle Paul exhorted the church in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Jesus Himself modeled this. Though He had all authority, He washed feet, spoke gently, and obeyed the will of His Father to the cross.

The Purpose: Creating Life in Others

Leadership is not about getting people to serve your vision. It’s about using your role to strengthen, build, and empower others. The word authority itself shares roots with author. Authority authors. It creates. It gives life.

God could run the universe without us. Yet, in His generosity, He invites us to co-labor with Him. Like a father who asks his child to help build something not because he needs the help, but because he loves the relationship God shares His leadership with us.

In the same way, godly leaders share responsibility. They delegate, not to avoid work, but to develop others. They want those they lead to grow, not just comply. Whether you're a parent, pastor, teacher, or manager, your goal is the same: to raise up others who are wiser, stronger, and holier because of your leadership.

A 2023 Barna study found that 65% of practicing Christians say the most influential leaders in their lives were those who intentionally invested in their personal growth not just organizational results. That’s not surprising. Great leadership is never self-centered; it’s always people-centered.

Practical Rhythms of Intentional Leadership

One way to stay grounded in this vision is by tracking your leadership intentionally. One pastor shares his method: each week, he lists all the “constituencies” he serves church members, staff, family, donors, and so on. For each, he notes how often he should engage and what his purpose is. This simple exercise keeps him aligned with both the humble posture and life-giving purpose of leadership.

Are you leading anyone today? Ask yourself:

• Am I more focused on outcomes than people?

• Do I share authority or hoard it?

• Are those around me becoming stronger under my leadership?

Exhausted and Thankful

Let’s be honest. Leading like this is draining. Some nights, the tank is empty. After a full day of meetings, emotional support, and constant decision-making, one more request feels like too much. And yet, this is the way of Christ.

When you pour yourself out for the sake of others, it is never in vain. You may feel like that tired parent being asked for help on a school essay at 10pm. But when you choose to give, even when there’s nothing left, something sacred happens.

You’re not just doing tasks you’re modeling Christ. You’re echoing the One who came “not to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28).

And when you lay your head down at night, empty of strength but full of peace, you’ll know: this is what it means to lead like Jesus. Not with applause, but with love. Not with comfort, but with conviction.

Aim High by Going Low

Jesus showed us the ultimate paradox: the way up is down. “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). Godly leaders go low because they trust that God lifts up the humble in His time.

They aim high not for prestige, but for the eternal fruit of changed lives.

So whether you're leading a church, a home, a team, or a classroom, remember: the truest measure of your leadership isn’t how much control you wield it’s how much life you give. It’s not how loudly people follow, but how deeply they grow.

May we lead with humility. May we lead with vision. And may the people under our care rise up to say, “Your leadership made me stronger in the Lord.”

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