Being a Servant Leader: Caring for the Least of These (part 4)

<p><strong>Bottom Line<br></strong><br></p><p>Once we’ve cultivated a watchfulness of scripture and willingly put ourselves under its authority, we find that it tells us to love our neighbor, especially the “least of these.”</p><p><strong>Takeaways</strong></p><p>We’ve been looking at what is means to be a Christian leader, a servant leader. We’re now on step 4 of our journey and I hope you can see how it all flows together. How one step builds to the next one.</p><ul> <li>Firstly you have to become biblically literate.</li> <li>Secondly, once you’ve done that, then you can cultivate a watchfulness of what the Bible says and how you're living your life. Do they match? Or, is there’s a mismatch?</li> <li>Thirdly, you have to willingly place yourself under the authority of scripture. If you’re going to lead as Christ did, then we have to be willing to do as scripture says.</li> </ul><p>Now, in step 4, we’re starting to look at what actions scripture prompting us to do. What does a servant leader do? What does it mean to “be” Christian?<br> <br>Most of us have preconceived ideas about what it means to be Christian … or what it means to be religious. And, often, these ideas inform us about how to “be” church. </p><p>But, our ideas of what God wants from us don't always match what scripture is asking of us.</p><p>This isn’t new. It was the same for the Old Testament folks as well.</p><p>They thought being religious was about making the right animal sacrifices in the temple. </p><p>They thought being religious was saying the right prayers and being seen praying those prayers. </p><p>They thought being religious was eating the right foods: keeping kosher.</p><p>They thought being religious was keeping the feasts.</p><p>And, they thought that being religious was fasting by the rules. </p><p>But, what they weren’t doing was listening to what God wanted. And, what God wanted was to for them to love their neighbor. </p><ul> <li>Isaiah 1:11-20</li> <li>Isaiah 58</li> </ul><p>God doesn’t want outward religiosity. He