Humble Leadership

The faithful servant, Francis, felt himself to be most thoroughly transformed by the virtue of holy humility in Christ.  Above all other virtues, he desired humility in his brothers.  He wished that they would love, desire, acquire and preserve this grace.  He encouraged them incessantly with both word and example and especially he admonished and induced the ministers and preachers to exercise acts of humility.  He used to say that they should not, because of their work and focus on preaching that they would neglect holy and devout prayer or asking for alms and working at times with their hands and doing work like the other friars, for the sake of the good example and for benefit for their and other’s souls.  

He said, “Lesser friars are much encouraged when their ministers and preachers spend time in prayer and bend themselves willingly to everyday works, especially those less desired.  If did not do so, they could not admonish other friars concerning their work without confusion, prejudice and condemnation of themselves.  For it is by the example of Christ that we not do and then teach, but that we act and teach at the same time.”

                        -Mirror of Perfection, Section IV, Chapter 73

There is a small group among Christians that say we should be leaderless.  To be a leader is to deny humility, they say.  However, when Jesus spoke of leadership, he didn't deny it's efficacy.  Rather, he said that a leader shouldn't act like a leader: self important, ambitious, knowing better than anyone else.  Instead, a leader should serve, do the tasks others find hard to do, to care for others' needs more than one's own.  

We will always have leaders because that is how humanity works-- we seek those we admire and imitate them. Leaders are essential.  But Christian leaders should be an antidote to worldly, Machiavellian leaders.  A Christian leader should act like the best of mothers, doing the most work, putting herself in the most difficult circumstances for her children, even if it means her children will be ungrateful and spiteful.  Our hope is that the child will look at the mother and want to be like her.