July 25 – Staying Humble in Leadership

 

Matthew 23:11

“The greatest among you will be your servant.”

SITREP:

What kind of leader do you want to be remembered as? One who commanded attention—or one who carried others when they were too weak to stand? In Matthew 23:11, Jesus isn’t just offering advice—He’s laying down the foundation of godly leadership. He wasn’t talking to the crowd—He was talking to His own team, the ones He was training for Kingdom missions. And He makes it crystal clear: greatness isn’t found in control—it’s found in service.

Jesus had just unloaded on the Pharisees—the men who loved power, praise, and positions of honor, but had no real heart for the people they led. They tied up heavy loads but didn’t lift a finger to help carry them. Jesus flipped the chain of command upside down. If you want to lead in the Kingdom, you don’t climb over others—you get low enough to lift them up.

Breaking Down the Verse:

• “The greatest among you…”
– Jesus doesn’t dismiss greatness—He redefines it. True greatness is measured by how far you're willing to go for others, not ahead of them.

• “…will be your servant.”
– Not “might be,” not “should consider being”—will be. Service isn’t an optional leadership style in God’s army—it’s the standard.

How This Applies to a Soldier’s Faith:

In uniform, rank earns compliance—but service earns respect. You’ve followed leaders who puffed up their titles, and you’ve followed leaders who:

·         Carried extra weight so their team didn’t have to,

·         Stayed last in the chow line,

·         And knew every name in their unit—not just the roles.

That’s the kind of leadership Jesus modeled. He didn’t ride in on a warhorse—He rode in on a donkey. He didn’t bark commands from a distance—He washed feet, took hits, and ultimately laid down His life. That’s not weakness. That’s warrior humility.

When you lead by serving:

·         You build trust.

·         You shape morale.

·         You reflect the heart of Christ in a world that’s starving for real leadership.

Whether in the field or at home, behind a desk or on the frontlines, how you serve says more than any speech ever could.

ENDEX:

Jesus didn’t just teach servant leadership—He lived it. Matthew 23:11 is your command philosophy: greatness isn’t about being out front—it’s about getting low to lift others up. Lead like the Servant-King. Earn your legacy—not through control, but through sacrifice.

AAR:

What’s your definition of greatness—and how much of it is built on being noticed? Matthew 23:11 flips the script: “The greatest among you will be your servant.” That’s not a demotion—it’s a call to lead from the dirt, not the pedestal. In the military, the best leaders aren’t the ones barking orders—they’re the ones checking on their people, sharing the load, and staying last in line at chow. Jesus defines greatness through humility, not recognition. Your challenge: Find one way this week to serve someone quietly—with no credit, no spotlight, and no expectation of return. Just do it because that’s what greatness really looks like.

Lead Lower to Go Higher

In God’s ranks, the path to honor runs through humility. Matthew 23:11 doesn’t strip you of influence—it reshapes how you wield it. You don’t lead by climbing over people; you lead by getting beneath them and lifting them up. True greatness leaves fingerprints on burdens, not platforms. If you want to rise in the kingdom, kneel in service. Take the towel, not the title. Because in the end, the highest call is to go low—and that’s the kind of leader Heaven salutes.

Make your voice count—share what you’ve lived.

Share your experiences in the comments below. Your words could encourage someone else walking a similar path.

If you're comfortable, include as much or as little personal detail as you’d like. We suggest:

• Name
• Veteran, Retired, Family Member etc.
• Service Branch
• Years of Service (or Deployment Dates and Locations)

Every story matters—and yours might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.