13 BOASTING IN WEAKNESS appointed. Going back to Isaiah in chapter 40:31, the prophet states that those who wait on the Lord will be rewarded with His grace and strength. The passage highlights that although God may seem slow to act, His timing of provision is perfect. In Galatians 6:9, Paul encourages his readers not to grow weary as they wait to see the fruit of their labors. He promises that those who persevere in their work and waiting will reap the benefit of their effort. Gene Wilkes notes that waiting on the Lord develops the leader’s heart and character. But this time of waiting does not equal a lack of activity. Instead, Wilkes notes that leaders must use the time for reflection to gain insight and pray.23 Stephen Covey comments on Martin Luther’s famous quote, “I have so much to do, I’ll have to spend the first three hours in prayer.” Covey notes that prayer was not just a routine practice for Luther but a source of power that multiplied his effectiveness.24 Thus, the leader who learns to boast about weakness through waiting is not passively resigning to do nothing. Instead, she is getting out of the way to let the sovereign God of the universe work on her behalf. Weak Leaders Serve Others Serving others is a final means by which leaders can boast of their weaknesses. Christian leaders must find their identity and calling in Jesus Christ. This, in turn, frees the leader to let go of the desire to be served and to strive for accolades and places of prominence. Jesus embodied this mindset in His example of humility and service to the disciples in John 13. In this passage, Jesus takes the role of a servant as He washes His disciples’ feet. Following this demonstration, Jesus calls His disciples and, therefore, all Christians to emulate His example. In Philippians 2:4,5, Paul recommends a mindset similar to his beloved church’s. Paul encourages the Philippians to look to the needs and interests of others above their own. This concept is once again built upon the example of Christ in the incarnation as Jesus humbled Himself to the point of death on the cross. Robert Greenleaf developed this mindset into a substantial leadership theory in his book Servant Leadership. Greenleaf calls for the leader to view himself as a servant leader. Greenleaf states that a servant leader must be a servant first. This then leads to the opportunity for the indi-
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