different

Matthew 20:26-28


But among you it will be different.

Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,

     and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (NLT)



Whoever wants to be great must become a servant.

Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.

That is what the Son of Man has done:

     He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage.” (The Message)


whoever among you wants to be great must become the servant of you all,

     and if he wants to be first among you he must be your slave

     just as the Son of Man has not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life to set many others free.” (J.B. Phillips)



Whoever wants to be your leader must be your servant.

Whoever wants to be first must serve the rest of you like a slave. 

Do as I did:

     The Son of Man did not come for people to serve him.

     He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.” (ERV)



whoever wants to become great must first make himself a servant;

whoever wants to be first must bind himself as a slave
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served,

     but to serve and to give His life as the ransom for many. (The Voice)



No matter how you translate or paraphrase these 2 verses, what Jesus had to say about those who lead came out the same - servanthood is the priority for those who lead.

And where, pray tell, is that kind of leadership style modeled in this country or in this world?!!!


Not anywhere, I fear.