Leadership Without Fear: Lessons from Samuel and Jesus
In today's Daily Lectionary texts, there's a fascinating parallel between two biblical scenes that teach us about leadership, fear, and what it means to truly care for others.
In 1 Samuel 12, we find the Israelites in a moment of panic. They've just asked for a king to replace Samuel as their leader—effectively rejecting God's model of leadership for a more conventional, hierarchical one. When thunder and lightning crash around them (a bit on the nose with the dramatics, if you ask me), they cry out to Samuel: "Pray to the Lord your God for us so we won't die! For we have added to our sins by asking for a king."
Samuel's response is remarkable in its gentleness: "Don't be afraid. Yes, you have indeed sinned, but the Lord will not abandon you."
Fast forward several centuries to John 13, where we find Jesus, the King of Kings, on his knees washing his disciples' feet. Peter, in his characteristic way, first refuses this act of service from his master. But Jesus insists, explaining: "Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet."
These two scenes offer us a masterclass in leadership:
- Mistakes ≠ Fear: Samuel shows us that acknowledging mistakes shouldn't lead to fear-based relationships. "Yes, you've sinned, but don't be afraid" might be one of the most important leadership principles we never talk about.
- Service > Status: Jesus completely inverts the power dynamics of leadership. The greatest among you should be the one most willing to do the jobs nobody wants to do.
- Leadership as Love: Both Samuel and Jesus model leadership that prioritizes the well-being of others over maintaining power or control.
As someone who both leads and follows in various contexts, I'm struck by how counter-cultural these examples remain. Our modern leadership models often still rely on fear—fear of failure, fear of disappointment, fear of rejection. Whether in parenting, pastoral ministry, or professional settings, we too easily fall back on fear as a motivator.
But what if we took Paul's words seriously when he suggested that the only competition we should have with one another is who can serve the best? What if leadership was less about maintaining authority and more about modeling vulnerability?
Yes, healthy boundaries matter. But within those boundaries, our primary call as leaders—whether of churches, families, or organizations—is to create spaces where mistakes don't lead to fear, where service trumps status, and where love drives out fear.
That might look like:
- Parents who can say "I was wrong"
- Pastors who prioritize serving over being served
- Managers who create psychologically safe spaces for failure and growth
- Leaders who are more concerned with lifting others up than maintaining their position
When someone comes to us having made a mistake, may we have the grace to echo Samuel: "Don't be afraid." And when given the choice between protecting our status or serving others, may we have the courage to follow Jesus' example and pick up the towel.