Not of It

Danger! Today's blog contains adult topics.

The Daily Wire ran a headline today that just hit home for me. The headline read "Kids Are More Likely To See Cardi B Grinding On A Pole Than To See Dumbo or Peter Pan. What Could Go Wrong?"

And just like that I understood at least partly why we're in the mess we're in.

Now, how does this apply to servant leadership? I'm glad you asked.

I doubt this is a surprise to my readers, but not everyone we lead is a Christian or follows similar tenets. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion videos are perfectly acceptable prime time television in households across America. Oh, in case you have successfully managed to restrict your television and news habits, these two artists make Madonna in her heyday look like the virgin she sang about.

Leadership can be challenging, especially when those we're tasked with leading have such dramatically different moral, social, religious, or political views. (Notice I didn't say "wrong" just different. Being Republican isn't wrong, just different. Being Muslim is not wrong, just different. If you do your homework, you just might be surprised at how many morally strong Muslims you'd find - puts some of us "Christians" to shame.) The key to facing these character-driven leadership challenges starts with accepting that everyone has different experiences and those experiences shape their character. Once we accept that we can work alongside the tatted up white guy blasting Gangsta Rap from his iBuds, we've taken step one.

Step two is listening. Have you ever wondered how some of America's best leaders landed at the top of the financial food chain? Sure, some got there through sheer force of will, but most you'll find practice listening. They admit they don't always have all the answers, or even the best answers, and surround themselves with people who challenge them. The only way to learn who someone is, and to understand the factors that built their character, is to listen deliberately. Listen to what they say, how they say it, when they choose to speak, and how passionately they do it. Don't listen with the intent of asking clarifying questions - that's not this type of listening. Listen with the goal of learning and understanding.

Step three is finding common ground or finding a place where their strengths complement your weaknesses. We all have them - strengths and weaknesses. Servant leaders find ways to lead in their weakness, and many times that means building up someone dramatically different whose strength complements your own shortcomings. If providence directs you may find someone with whom you have common ground, like a history of military service, a tragedy of loss, or a common after work passion. Use that, build on that.

And finally, trust that Christ wouldn't lead you astray. If He called you out of this world, don't try to fit back into it. That means don't tune into music television when it plays songs from celebrities famous for little more than provocative lyrics. Listen to the stories of the people who play their music, but don't listen to their music. That's of this world. Just be in it.

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.'" (John 15:18-21, NKJV)