“There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and was a widow for 84 years. She did not leave the temple complex, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers. At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:36–38, HCSB)
At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Life is all about timing, have you noticed? It does little good to show up for the big game a day late. And, you won’t get her to say, “Yes!” if you rush things, will you?
Patience is part of being a servant leader. We serve at the pleasure of our Master, Jesus Christ. And, whether we like it or not, He has a schedule for everything. Trying to push it ahead won’t work and, more often than not, will make a mess out of things.
And the reverse is also true. We can be insensitive to the Spirit’s leading and miss out on these “pivot” moments in our lives. Anna was a woman who was so in love with the Lord she had dedicated herself to His worship with great devotion.
When our love for God is palpable, tangible, viscerally real, God responds in amazing and incredible ways. He loves to position us in just the right place at the right time so that we will accomplish His will and whim without a workout.
Notice the phrasing again. “At that very moment, she came up.”That is what servant leadership is all about. Being a willing worker requires just that: Being willing. We have to surrender to His agenda, listen for His direction, and promptly do what He calls us to do without question.
For some, this is too much. That is why they are not servant leaders of Jesus. This is why they don’t sense His presence. This is why they stumble through life trying to do God’s will but never have the inner guidance to know exactly when and what to do. Sadly, they live their lives hoping but never coming to the knowledge of the truth.
Willing Worker Wednesdays are dedicated to explaining the core realities of servant leadership – the Biblical principles and methods used by God’s faithful people throughout time. They further reflect the lifestyle of Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords as He walked on this earth announcing the Kingdom of God had arrived. These brief lessons are written by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Executive Director of Eagles In Leadership, and come from his extensive ministry within the local church, in higher education, in church consulting and as a Biblical author and leader. He welcomes your comments below.
