Editors note: This is part four of an eight-part series exploring the eight Jesus questions all of us must face, highlighted in Jim Wallis's new book Christ in Crisis: Why We Need to Reclaim Jesus (HarperOne), available now. These next eight weeks will help us go deeper than the headlines, to find our way back to Jesus in the midst of this intensive and exhausting news cycle. 

Want to hear this in an audio format instead? We just launched an eight-episode podcast series called Reclaiming Jesus Now that features Allison Trowbridge and William Matthews speaking with Jim Wallis about these questions and their relevance today.

How is power wielded in the world today, and what does leadership look like? If we’re following Jesus, what should it look like?

It feels like, over the last month, hardly a day has gone by without a new revelation of corruption and abuse of power by President Donald Trump. Whether it is the increasingly-clear quid pro quo in which military aid to Ukraine was conditioned on the Ukrainian president announcing an investigation to damage one of Trump’s political rivals, or the now-abandoned plan to host world leaders at Trump’s Florida golf club at taxpayer expense, we see a leader so obsessed with power and himself that he gives no thought to warping the foreign policy of the United States and the use of taxpayer dollars to serve his personal finances and political fortunes. But what did Jesus teach about leadership and power?

Jesus’ disciples were arguing one evening about which of them was the greatest among them. Jesus patiently explained to them that they had to turn their entire notion of greatness, power, and leadership on its head:

“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:25–27).

The contrast could not be greater between the way of “the kings of the Gentiles” (meaning the way of the world) and the way of Jesus. What does it mean to be the greatest as one who serves? I think this deep contrast to the way of the world is actually the foundation for our idea of public service.

Learn more about Jim Wallis' book here. 

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