Matt's Muzings
To Never Know How Much It Cost
I am writing this from Malaysia where I am attending the Connexity 2002 conference, that is dealing with women's issues. There are 52 nations represented, with almost 500 people in attendance. It has been a great time and I can see God's heart for the beauty He desires to be found in and through woman. However, the challenges they face and the world they live in is very painful to focus on. I know men live in that world as well but we have not helped much in making the world a safe place for them.
Worship
During one of the worship times, one of the lines in the chorus we were singing went something like, "I'll never know how much it cost, To give your life upon the cross."
To be honest, I have never really like the chorus. From the first time I heard it I didn't like it. I found myself immediately responding, 'I do know how much it cost.......It cost him his life.'
As we were singing the chorus over and over, I figured I might as well think about it as I know it doesn't draw me deeper into worship to criticize the theology of the songs. So I took a few moments and pondered what it was saying. As I reflected on it I was struck by a thought.
The Bible says God's greatness in unsearchable. If He is infinite, and He is, then we will never fully know His greatness. If we will never fully know it, then we can't truly fathom how much He gave up to be a human. So the chorus has some depth and truth to it after all. Hmm, I was then struck by a leadership principle.
Cost
Those you serve through your leadership may never know what it costs you to serve them. Now again, I have to be honest, I don't like the sound of that. I want the students and others to know what it has cost me to be their leader. I want others to know exactly how much I have paid to do what I am doing. The more I have paid the more I am worth? Well... I mean they need to know how lucky they are to have me, right?
As that thought settles in and I see my own pride, I am embarrassed and humbled. I am in awe, astonished by a God who gave up His place in heaven and joined humanity knowing full well that in all eternity we would never know fully the price He paid to love us. The amazing part is that He is at peace with that.
There is no pride in Him. It is not about Him making sure we know how much it cost Him. We will never fully know how much it cost. It is about Him being willing to serve us and love us at a great cost. I can see that leadership is about paying a cost for others that they may never see. Only true love can bring me to that, otherwise I want to be repaid for the cost.
Until His love is born and deepens in my life I will not fully represent leadership God's way.
The heart of a servant leader is doing something for the love of those you serve without any desire that you will be recognized and thus loved because of it. In this sense you are 'bigger' than them. You humble yourself as God does daily and love those who may never know you paid the price to reach out to them.
I trust you will join me in modeling Jesus to the world by paying the cost and not looking to be repaid by others you serve.