Humility is… Following
You know what I’ve always found curious? When you walk into a Christian bookstore, you’ll see shelves packed with books on leadership—but almost none on followship.
Isn’t that interesting?
When you look at Scripture, verses about leadership are actually quite rare. It’s almost as if God isn’t all that interested in raising up “great leaders” in the way the world defines them. 🤔
Instead, Jesus emphasises following:
- “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” – Matthew 4:19 NIV
- Then He said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” – Luke 9:23 NIV
- “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27 NIV
Rather than using successful people, with great vision and amazing planning skills, the Bible is filled with stories of God using the least likely, the outcasts, and broken as His chosen. One thing all those people have in common: they are super humble and great followers.
Humility means choosing to follow instead of lead. And even when God exalts you to a place of leadership, it just means more following because He is our true leader.
Corrie ten Boom, who had an incredible ministry, once drew a beautiful picture of what true leadership–and true humility–looks like:
“When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, and everyone was waving palm branches and throwing garments onto the road, do you think for a moment it ever entered the head of that donkey that any of that was for him?” Then she added: “if I can be the donkey on which Jesus Christ rides in His glory, I give Him all the praise and all the honour”.
Our job is to be the donkey. To carry Jesus wherever He leads, to bring Him to people, and to make sure He gets the glory—not us. It’s as simple as that.
