Leading with Humility

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." – Philippians 2:3

Leadership and humility don’t often go together in the world’s eyes. Most leaders chase power, recognition, and control. They want to be seen as the strongest, the smartest, the most capable. But Jesus flipped that idea upside down. He didn’t lead with pride or demand respect. He led by humbling Himself, serving others, and putting their needs before His own.
 
Think about it; Jesus, the Son of God, the One with all authority, could have ruled with force. He could have commanded obedience and crushed His enemies. But instead, He washed feet. He welcomed outcasts. He healed the broken. He didn’t use His position to elevate Himself, He used it to lift others up. That’s real leadership.

Philippians 2:3 tells us to do nothing out of selfish ambition but to consider others as more significant than ourselves. That’s the heart of humility in leadership. It’s not about proving yourself. It’s not about gaining power. It’s about serving the people God has entrusted to you. And that’s why it’s so rare, because true humility costs something. It means letting go of your ego. It means admitting when you’re wrong. It means choosing to serve instead of being served.
 
But humility isn’t weakness. In fact, leading with humility takes more strength than leading with pride. Anyone can demand respect, but it takes real character to lead with grace, to put others first, and to care more about people than positions. The leaders who make the biggest impact aren’t the ones who crave attention. They’re the ones who quietly invest in others, who build people up, who lead with a heart that reflects Jesus.

So ask yourself, how do I lead? Am I chasing recognition, or am I following Christ’s example? Because the greatest leaders aren’t the ones who stand above people. They’re the ones who get down on their knees to serve. And in God’s kingdom, those who humble themselves will be lifted up in ways the world will never understand.