Imagine you’re riding a bicycle on a beautiful mountain back-road. You’re coming down a steep hill, going about 35 miles an hour, and you see that there’s a stop sign right at the bottom. What would happen if you waited until you reached the stop sign to slam on the brakes? Well, the best-case scenario (the one with no cross-traffic) would have you skidding to a stop somewhere in the middle of the intersection, or beyond it.

I awoke on the morning of April 17, thinking about my mother. It was her birthday. Although we reside in the same town, I was traveling that week and had to settle for a brief text message: “Good morning! Happy Birthday! Love you!” Each sentiment was “enhanced” with the proper emoticons.

“No rights, recognizes authority, works hard, and doesn’t expect recognition.”
What a list! These are phrases from Jon Byler’s book, The Heart of Christian Leadership, describing the characteristics of a servant. As I read those phrases, I felt a sense of conviction. Do I really understand what servant leadership is?

Within hours, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, let alone admitting to loving this man he’d trailed for three years. Peter, and the other disciples with him, failed. Feared. Fled. They locked themselves away, where one night, Peter said, brilliantly, “Let’s go fishing” (John 21:1–13).

Fishing? Didn’t they leave those nets to follow Jesus?