To Look Like Christ

“We look most like Christ when we serve” was emblazoned in large letters across the back of the camp counselors’ t-shirts as they welcomed us to a week of family camp. Amid the excitement of getting settled in our accommodation, creating a list (already) of things we’d forgotten for a quick trip to Target, and looking at the week’s jam-packed schedule, I turned the slogan over in my head; the catchy phrase conveyed a significant spiritual truth.

Camp was fun but busy, especially for the counselors who led most of the activities and events. These college-age staff taught Bible studies, prepared meals, collected trash, ran free time activities, brought excitement to skits, led worship, and so much more. It was exhausting to watch them, and some days they looked the way I imagine they must have felt.

But they knew the challenge ahead of them before camp even began. During the interview each potential counselor was given the daily schedule, informed about staff responsibilities, and encouraged that they would need to depend on the Spirit to help them carry out their jobs with joy—working at summer camp was a decision they didn’t make lightly.

Each counselor considered the invitation and chose to wear the shirt that identified them not simply as camp staff, but of one choosing to follow Jesus’ model of leadership.

As the truth of the phrase lingered with me, I thought about my own ministry and leadership roles . . . Would I be willing to wear the shirt?

Not long after our time at family camp, I was rereading Spiritual Leadership, a classic Christian book on the subject by J. Oswald Sanders. I was struck by his observation that the King James Bible (the version readily available to him) “uses leader only six times. Much more frequently, the role is called servant. We do not read about ‘Moses, my leader,’ but ‘Moses, my servant’.” ¹

As the greatest leader in Israel’s history (Deut. 34:10–12) and the primary human character in the Hebrew Scripture books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, Moses is honored at his death with the description that he was “the servant of the LORD” (Deut. 34:5). And not just this once. Thirteen times in the book of Joshua, Moses is called a “servant.”

The idea of service as leadership finds its fullest expression in Jesus’ life. But even those closest to Jesus struggled to embrace His example. Brothers James and John asked Jesus for leadership positions in the future, angering the rest of the apostles. Breaking into their dispute, Jesus cautions them, saying:

You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 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 10:42–45).

Jesus’ revolutionary approach to spiritual leadership remains just as significant today as it was in His time. To provide leadership like Jesus is an invitation to love others by serving them.

It can be helpful to think about the places where we have opportunities to lead like Jesus. Opportunities might include leading a small group, helping others worship through music, organizing a ministry event, mentoring a young mom, coordinating a prayer ministry, planning a community service event, or leading the care for a refugee family.

As we consider these opportunities, and Jesus’ invitation to provide spiritual leadership, perhaps we can hear Jesus simply asking, “Are you willing to wear the shirt?”

–Written by Lisa M. Samra. Used by permission from the author.

¹ Page 21, J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership. Emphasis is found in the text. While the term “leader” appears more frequently in newer translations, it is often used in place of the actual words for “official,” “representative,” “head,” “ruler,” etc.