Lead Like Jesus

Jesus Washes a Disciple's Feet

Jesus’ perfection is witnessed through His servant leadership, summed up with His words found in Mark 9:35 (English Standard Version), “And He said to them, ‘If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.’” Throughout Scripture, the Son of God, who could have chosen to wield His divine power over all, chose to humble Himself and serve the most vulnerable citizens, setting an example for His followers. For ministry leaders, this is an important model to mirror, a constant reminder of their proper place before God and those they lead. For those who work directly with marginalized groups, it is integral to their understanding of service delivery. Mary Marshall Ministry unequivocally grasps this concept. Though dependent on recruiting and retaining volunteer clergy or Christian lay leaders, the ministry’s success views the character trait of servant leadership as necessary in those it enlists.

Humility

At the mention of Jesus, the word humility rises. Andrew Murray devoted an entire work to the subject. The central thesis of his book, Humility, is to humble oneself by placing total dependence on God.[1] Murray viewed this dependence as humility, “the first duty and the highest virtue…the root of every virtue” for God’s people.[2] Thus, to commit to the lifelong pursuit of humility, believers must, like Christ, empty themselves (Phil 2:7) of all pride—“the root of every sin and evil.”[3] Like Christ, who humbled Himself before the Father, one must relinquish all control in obedience to the Almighty (Phil 2:8).

Pursuing humility is part of a Christian’s spiritual formation—becoming Christlike in how one lives in relationship to God, themselves, and with others. As general editor Lore Ferguson Wilbert wrote in her “Letter to the Reader,” “The tricky thing about humility is once you think you have it, you’ve lost it again, immediately….Humility is like trying find the end of a rainbow or catch a shadow—it is almost a sort of child’s play in its elusiveness.”[4] Placing one’s dependence on God is the ultimate challenge in this earthly life and essential to achieving humility. To lean not on one’s own understanding (Prov 3:5), to cast all anxieties on the Lord (1 Pet 5:7), to trust in Him alone (Isa 26:4), to depend on Him for everything (Phil 4:19) is to practice humility.

There is nothing more humbling than working with adults with intellectual disabilities and mental health issues. It is a reminder of the fragility of the human condition, and to be able to humble oneself, to put oneself in the shoes of others experiencing cognitive challenges, is to share the type of ministry Jesus practiced. The more one learns about their capacity for building humility, the more one will become inspired by Jesus Christ’s physical presence among people—a divine, selfless act of humility on behalf of the Father.

Scripture captures Jesus’ humility from His birth in a stable (Luke 2:6-7) to His death upon the Roman cross (Matt 27:32-50). He shows humility in choosing His disciples, calling the everyday man, the fisherman (Matt 4:18-22), not men of wealth and power. His humility as grace is shown in healing hurting people (Mark 6:46; Luke 6:18; Matt 9:35, 21:14) and in His advocacy and defense of the poor and accused (Luke 14:12-14; John 8:1-11). People with intellectual disabilities and mental health issues are among those most loved by Jesus, often demonstrating the purest hearts, who, like the children found in Mark 10:13-16, are welcomed and loved unconditionally by the Savior:

"And they were bringing children to Him that He might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.’ And He took them in His arms and blessed them, laying His hands on them."

"Let the Little Children Come to Me" by Lucas Cranach

This author and minister is not saying that all cognitively challenged people are childish in behavior and thought. But she is acknowledging that their ability—their “gift”—to cut through the social, “politically correct,” and artificial filters, getting to the heart of the matter, to what is simply true, can be as refreshingly innocent and raw as children. Again, Jesus reminded believers, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:3). As Piper said, “Children are the litmus paper to expose the presence of pride.”[5] Thus, humility in how one ministers to others is crucial. Moreover, servant leadership nurtures others’ character and self-worth, resulting in “greater intimacy and fulfillment in personal relations.”[6] In humble service, Mary Marshall Ministry strives to promote greater intimacy among its participants and, in turn, builds stronger relationships and friendships.

Service

Jesus saw service to others as vital to a life well-lived. It is essential to note that He gravitated to serving the underserved, healing the broken, and creating an all-inclusive culture for others to mirror. As part of Volunteers of America, a church without walls, Mary Marshall Ministry embraces Jesus’ desire to serve the “least of these,” as found in Matthew 25:35-40:

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"

On the ultimate act of service, Issler writes, “Although Jesus was God, His deity was veiled—a humble act of service for us as God—permitting Him to experience a normal human life with its attendant weaknesses (Heb 2:17-18).”[7] This demonstration by the Almighty exemplifies the importance of humble service to others. Jesus lived a life experiencing many of the same difficulties those with intellectual disabilities and mental health challenges face: rebuke, spiritual agony, rejection, isolation, emotional trauma, and often physical torment. No wonder Jesus identified with the marginalized, having experienced similar pain and suffering. He knew the cruelty that humans often inflict upon each other. Some of the personal stories this author has heard from Mary Marshall Ministry participants confirm how cold and brutal the world can be for those considered “outsiders.” The Ministry’s goal is to demonstrate a warmer and softer side of the world where love and acceptance abound and everyone’s life matters, reflecting God’s love and the Lord’s commandment to love one another (John 13:34).

Follow the Leader

Throughout Scripture, Jesus calls others to follow. In Mark 1:17, He sees Simon and Andrew, saying, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” This call is repeated in Matthew 4:19. In Matthew 16:24, He tells His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me,” these words are echoed in Luke 9:23. He tells the rich ruler in Luke 18:22, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

The message is clear: to lead like Jesus, one must follow Him in service to others.

Jones, Murray, and Warren write, “Authentic servant leadership lays ego and selfish behavior aside, emphasizing the needs and desires of the community and others.”[8] Jesus’ ministry exemplifies this statement, interacting with the most vulnerable people of His time. He did this from the heart, loving those others felt were unworthy and unlovable—many of the same people Mary Marshall Ministry serves. Jesus “empowered His followers to carry on the work of sharing the salvation message after He was gone.”[9] Everyone must ask themselves, “What work am I doing that answers the call to follow in the footsteps of the Lord?” Humbling oneself and finding one’s place in service to others begins that process.

The Joy of Fellowship

Jesus encouraged others to find spiritual fulfillment in open fellowship with one another. Many crowds were drawn to His presence and gathered around Him (Luke 5:1, 6:19, 7:11, 8:4, 42, 45, 9:11, 11:29, 14:25, 23:27; Mark 3:7-8, 32, 5:21, 24, 27, 7:1, 8:6, 9:14, 10:1, 46; Matt 4:25, 8:1, 18, 14:13, 15:33, 19:2, 20:29, 21:8-11; John 6:2). Bonhoeffer wrote, “The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.”[10] Mary Marshall Ministry is committed to creating a space where cognitively challenged individuals can experience fellowship in Christ, bringing them that joy and strength. The residents gather together, hear God’s Word, ask questions, contribute their perspectives, and sing and pray in this small-but-mighty faith community. Like the blind man at Bethsaida, the Ministry’s leaders’ eyes are open to the miraculous work that happens when following Jesus.

A Musical Sidenote

In 1953, Ira Forest Stanphill, a well-known American gospel songwriter of the mid-twentieth century, wrote the spiritual hymn “Follow Me.” His lyrics beautifully capture Jesus’ humble servant leadership in support of those who follow him:

I traveled down a lonely road And no one seemed to care, The burden on my weary back Had bowed me to despair, I oft complained to Jesus How folks were treating me, And then I heard Him say so tenderly. “My feet were also weary, Upon the Calvary road; The cross became so heavy, I fell beneath the load, Be faithful, weary pilgrim, The morning I can see, Just lift your cross and follow close to me.” “I work so hard for Jesus,” I often boast and say, “I’ve sacrificed a lot of things To walk the narrow way, I gave up fame and fortune; I’m worth a lot to Thee,” And then I hear Him gently say to me, “I left the throne of glory And counted it but loss, My hands were nailed in anger Upon a cruel cross, But now we’ll make the journey With your hand safe in Mine, So lift your cross and follow close to Me.” O, Jesus, if I die upon A foreign field someday, ‘Twould be no more than love demands, No less could I repay, “No greater love hath mortal man Than for a friend to die.” These are the words He gently spoke to me, “If just a cup of water I place within your hand Then just a cup of water Is all that I demand.” But if by death to living They can Thy glory see, I’ll take my cross and follow close to Thee.

Mary Marshall Ministry invites you to come and experience the joy of sharing your faith with adults with intellectual disabilities and mental health issues. Visit or call us today or learn how you can become a part of your community’s ministry serving Jesus’ “least of these.”

----------------------------------------------------------- [1] Andrew Murray, Humility, ed. Lore Ferguson Wilbert (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2017), 4, 45, 74, 101. [2] Ibid. [3] Ibid. [4] Ibid., 1. [5] John Piper, “Jesus and the Children: Pondering Children as Pride Detectors,” desiringGod.org June 22, 2005, accessed November 10, 2022, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/jesus-and-the-children#:~:text=Children%20are%20the%20litmus%20paper%20to%20expose%20the,you%20will%20never%20enter%20the%20kingdom%20of%20heaven.%E2%80%9D. [6] Ken Blanchard, Phil Hodges, and Phyllis Hendry, Lead Like Jesus, Revisited: Lessons From the Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time (Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2016), 4, Kindle.

[7] Klaus Issler, Living Into the Life of Jesus: The Formation of Christian Character (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2012), chap. 5, “Veiling of Divine Attributes,” para. 6, Kindle. [8] Janet S. Jones, Samantha Murray, and Kelly Warren, “Christian Leadership in a Secular World,” The Journal of Applied Christian Leadership 12, no. 2 (2018): 99, https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/jacl/vol12/iss2/. [9] Blanchard, Hodges, and Hendry, Lead Like Jesus, 287. [10] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together (London, UK: SCM Press Ltd., 1949), 7, Kindle.