The Importance of Footstools

What is a footstool and why is it important? (And how do servant leaders relate?)

Footstools date back to ancient Egypt, where pharaohs sat on massive thrones. The footstool was an important enabler, allowing the pharaoh to ascend to the throne with grace and dignity. Imagine how childlike a pharaoh would seem clambering up to sit on a seat just to have his feet dangle mid-air! Because of this, footstools were important. They enabled the pharaoh to ascend, supported his feet while he sat, gave him a solid footing for descending, and filled the space between earth and the "god."

The footstool also carried an important symbolism. While it served as an important piece of furniture to the pharaoh, it also served as a reminder that everything, starting with the footstool, was subordinate to the throne.

So, when God said to Jesus in Hebrews,

"Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool" (Heb 1:13, NKJV)

He was reminding the world that Satan, his third of Heaven's (fallen) angels, and anyone who stood against God's throne was subordinate - beneath Him.

As Christians, we often claim Hebrews 1:13 as an empowering passage, giving us strength to rise above the evil in this world until we exchange these flawed fleshly bodies for our perfect heavenly one and join the chorus of souls in Heaven. But how do we reconcile making our enemies into footstools with Jesus' command to love our neighbor as ourselves? How does a servant leader handle footstools in business?

Simply put, we love them. We are not the Father nor the Son, and while we may be indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we do not sit on the throne. We are not honored by using a footstool. We are honored by loving, caring for, maintaining, stewarding, and securing the footstool's place before the throne.

In business, we have the choice between leaving our competition utterly destroyed or winning with dignity. Old Testament ways supported utter destruction at Jericho, Sodom, and Gomorrah. But with Christ, the new covenant brought forgiveness and grace. With Christ, not only do we leave wheat for gleaning, but we invite the poor to work for their harvest with dignity. As servant leaders, we pay that grace forward by winning rightly - no cheating, no cutting corners, no insider trading, no non-public information. We serve our staff by caring for them first, giving them the bounty of the harvest, stewarding the company to a profit so their futures are secure. We lead our market by following ethical business practices and outperforming our competitors honestly. And we love our neighbors by dominating in our field without monopolizing it.

(Photo: merjaattia)