Press the arrow to listen to Jeremy Camp sing “Lay Down My Pride”

Scripture
And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself. Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt. 1 Samuel 18:3-4

Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?” But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him. Matthew 3:13-14

Observation
Jonathan and Jesus both appear in today’s Bible readings. Both were kingly leaders who took off their robes, laid them down and gave up their lives not for work but for friends. Jonathan gave his life for one man and prepared him to lead a nation. Jesus gave up his life particularly for his disciples to save the whole world.

Jonathan was impressed by David as Jesus was impressed by John, his cousin. In David, Jonathan saw someone who loved God and country as much as he did and who embraced risk for the sake of the cause. In John, Jesus saw someone living radically for the unseen and eternal realities he had only recently laid aside. Both men found comrades who valued what they valued.

Both Jesus and Jonathan show us leadership by surrender. Both brought greatness to others but not to themselves. We cherish their memories now, but few did back then. Both died ignominious deaths for what they believed in most. Monuments came later

I read recently from Henri Nouwen:

Authority and obedience can never be divided, with some people having all the authority while others only have to obey. This separation causes authoritarian behaviour on the one side and doormat behaviour on the other. It perverts authority as well as obedience. A person with great authority who has nobody to be obedient to is in great spiritual danger. A very obedient person who has no authority over anyone is equally in danger.

Jesus spoke with great authority, but his whole life was complete obedience to his Father, and Jesus, who said to his Father, “Let it be as you, not I, would have it” (Matthew 26:39), has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (see Matthew 28:18). Let us ask ourselves: Do we live our authority in obedience and do we live our obedience with authority?

Application
The greatness of a leader is shown not by what he gains but in what he gives up. When Jesus and Jonathan surrendered they may have walked without crowns, yet they both remained very much kings. Their regal authority came not by how they grasped power but in their security in their God-given identity while releasing it. I want to lead like that.

Prayer
Father, today, I see another kind of leadership that is proven not by the titles it achieves but in what it gives for the benefit of others. Here is my tunic, sword and bow. Let them be useful for others. Amen.