Greatest Need Is…

What is the greatest need in our society? 

You can make the argument that the greatest need today is love or peace. Some may make the point that we need more substantial businesses for jobs and wealth. Some may believe that we need more trained teachers to create a thriving education system. 

While these are all important and needed, I believe our greatest need is leadership. We need godly leaders today.
All things rise and fall on leadership. We have seen this throughout history, especially in Israel’s history. The last verse in the book of Judges shares the importance of leadership. 

In those days, Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.

Judges 11:25

People do whatever they see, and we are wired to follow and model our lives after others. When there is not a healthy and strong leader to model after, people are left to their imaginations and ways. They create their standards and subjective truths about themselves and the world, leading to chaos and severe consequences. Proverbs reiterate the importance of having leadership.

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

Proverbs 11:14

Leadership matter. When reasonable and godly leaders surround us, then we are lead to safety. We can live fuller and more prosperous lives. Strong leaders create healthier and more substantial companies, communities, and churches. It is no doubt that the most significant companies and organizations have the best leaders. They can generate more profits, happier citizens, and more satisfied customers. On the other hand, when the leaders are distracted or weak, it creates division and pain in the organization. We can probably name some bosses or organizations where we have experienced more fragile leadership. It may be the reason we were unsatisfied with our job or why we or others left. 

Leaders can make or break a country, company, community, or church. What makes a good leader from a bad leader? We can look to the most outstanding leader to get an idea, Jesus. Jesus was the most effective and best leader we have seen. He changed the world, and he did it by serving. 

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:45

He could have had people serve him or do things for him. He could have gone on a power trip and made it all about him. However, he came to help. He reached for others, and he came to sacrifice. He put others first. Good and godly leaders serve others first, and then they put themselves next. They have a certain way they order their lives. Godly leaders serve first God, serve family, serve others, and then serve themselves. 

1. Serve God
2. Serve Family
3. Serve others
4. Serve self

Serve God

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:15

Joshua commits that he will serve God. His first commitment was to make sure God was happy. He did this by obeying God’s word and command. We serve God by doing what he says. He’s given us the Bible to teach us how to live our lives. They are good rules that make our lives better. When we practice what he says, then we are serving God. 

Serving Family

He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?

1 Timothy 3:4-5

Leaders understand the importance of Family. They can manage their household well. This means being able to serve their spouse and kids. It means putting their needs above our own. It means teaching the kids to love God and modeling what a godly marriage looks like for our wife and kids. The best place to show our love for God is by how we serve our family. 

Serving Others

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:

1 Peter 4:10

We each have a gift that God has given to us to help others. There is no more incredible feeling than helping someone in need. It can be in small ways, like picking up trash for someone or buying a meal. It may mean volunteering at church or helping a friend move. There are a variety of different ways to help and serve others.

Serving Self 

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Matthew 22:37-39

The greatest commandment is to love God and love others. Most people forget there is a third person in there, and it is us. We are to love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves. This means that we need to take care of ourselves to not burn out or flame out. We need to create healthier boundaries to take care of our physical, emotional, and mental needs. This means going to bed and getting enough sleep. This may mean eating better or having a place to vent our frustrations healthily. These are ways that we can help ourselves be recharged and rested so that we can serve others. 

We are to have mutual respect for ourselves, but it’s always last. We need to put others ahead of ourselves. We don’t neglect ourselves, but we don’t put ourselves first. Good leaders do this, and it’s when this order gets reversed that people get into trouble. It’s bottom-up living.

1. Serve Self
2. Serve Others
3. Serve Family
4. Serve God

When they start from the bottom (Serving self), then they make it about themselves. They believe that they are at the center and the priority. This puts stress in our lives and creates an out-of-balance life. Our lives become upside down and start to decay.

We all want to make a difference and change the world. We think we need to do it in a big way that is flashy. The best way to do it is by serving in whatever context we are in. When we serve well, we lead well. Others see it and it makes a significant impact on them over time. That will impact future generations to come. It begins by serving well today. Serve like Jesus will make us an effective leader like Jesus.