When you hear the word “leader,” what picture comes to mind?

The man in charge? The boss? The guy with the title? The man everybody answers to?

Jesus gives us a radically different picture: the Lord of all creation on His knees, towel around His waist, washing dirty feet.

That's biblical leadership.

In this episode of the Sharpening Men Podcast, Tom Henry continues Week 5, “Jesus: The Model Man,” by examining what Jesus teaches us about leadership.

In John 13:14–15, Jesus tells His disciples that if their Lord and Master washed their feet, they should serve one another in the same way. Jesus didn't merely teach servant leadership - He demonstrated it.

Leadership isn't about how many people you can get under you. It's about how many people God has entrusted to you that you can serve.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why biblical leadership begins with service
• Jesus washing His disciples' feet
• The difference between authority and selfish control
• What servant leadership looks like for husbands and fathers
• Why leaders should be first to sacrifice, forgive, apologize, pray, serve, and take responsibility
• How fathers lead through example, not merely rules
• What servant leadership looks like at work and in ministry
• How the “dirty jobs” expose our pride
• Why no act of service should be beneath a follower of Jesus

TODAY'S CHALLENGE

Find one “foot-washing job” today.

Find something useful you might normally expect somebody else to do—and do it.

Don't announce it. Don't complain about it. Don't expect praise.

It could be at home, at work, at church, or wherever you are. While you're doing it, remember what Jesus said:

“I have given you an example.”

Follow it.

JOIN US SATURDAY

If you're in or around Blytheville, Arkansas, join us for the Sharpening Men Breakfast every Saturday at 9:00 a.m.

Ruddle Road Church of God — Back Building
1400 S. Ruddle Rd.
Blytheville, AR 72315

It's completely FREE and open to men 18 and older. You don't have to have everything together. Come eat breakfast, meet some men, and sit down with us.

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Also, think of one man who's in leadership - he might be a father, a boss, a pastor, a coach, a ministry leader, or maybe he's a younger man who's still learning what leadership means.

Send him this episode, not as criticism, but as encouragement.

Let's become leaders who look like Jesus.

Follow or subscribe to the Sharpening Men Podcast so you don't miss the rest of this week's conversations about Jesus: The Model Man.

Visit: sharpeningmen.org
Questions, prayer requests, testimonies, or just need somebody to talk to?
Email Tom: tom@sharpeningmen.org

Nobody gets sharp alone.

How do you know when a man thinks he's important?

Sometimes it's easy: everyone around him exists to serve him. Bring me this. Do that for me. Respect me. Notice me. Give me the best seat. Make sure I get the credit.

But Jesus gave us a completely different picture of greatness.

The greatest man who ever lived came to serve.

In this episode of the Sharpening Men Podcast, Tom Henry continues Week 5, “Jesus: The Model Man,” by looking at how Jesus completely turned the world's definition of greatness upside down.

Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

The world often measures greatness by how many people serve you. Jesus measures greatness by how willing you are to serve others.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why Jesus measured greatness through service and sacrifice
• The difference between asking “What can they do for me?” and “What can I do for them?”
• What servant leadership looks like in marriage and the home
• Why no honest work should be beneath a Christian man
• Serving in the church instead of simply asking what the church offers us
• Why serving challenges our pride
• How God often meets us while we're ministering to someone else
• Serving even when nobody notices, applauds, or says thank you

TODAY'S CHALLENGE

Serve somebody today in a way that costs you something.

It might cost you time, money, convenience, energy, or pride. Do something around the house before you're asked. Help a coworker. Buy somebody lunch. Call someone who's struggling. Give somebody a ride. Pray with someone.

Do something useful for somebody who cannot repay you - and, if possible, don't tell anybody about it.

Serve because that's what Jesus does.

JOIN US SATURDAY

If you're in or around Blytheville, Arkansas, join us for the Sharpening Men Breakfast every Saturday at 9:00 a.m.

Ruddle Road Church of God — Back Building
1400 S. Ruddle Rd.
Blytheville, AR 72315

It's completely FREE and open to men 18 and older. Come eat breakfast, meet some men, and let's learn together how to become men who look more like Jesus.

SHARE THIS EPISODE

Think of a man who's always serving everybody else and rarely gets thanked for it. Send him this episode and tell him:

“I see what you're doing. Keep going.”

Sometimes the man who encourages everyone else needs somebody to encourage him.

Follow or subscribe to the Sharpening Men Podcast so you don't miss the rest of this week's conversations about Jesus: The Model Man.

Visit: sharpeningmen.org
Questions, prayer requests, or just need someone to talk to?
Email Tom: tom@sharpeningmen.org

Nobody gets sharp alone.

What does real strength look like?

Is it losing control when someone makes you angry - or having enough strength to control yourself? Is it proving you can hurt someone, or possessing the power to do damage and choosing not to?

In this episode of the Sharpening Men Podcast, Tom Henry continues Week 5, “Jesus: The Model Man,” by confronting one of the most misunderstood characteristics of Jesus: meekness.

Somewhere along the way, men began treating meekness as another word for weakness. But Jesus said, “I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29) - and Jesus was anything but weak.

Meekness is strength submitted to God and governed by love.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why meekness does not mean weakness
• Jesus as the perfect example of strength under control
• Why uncontrolled anger isn't evidence of strength
• The difference between reacting and responding
• Why forgiveness can require more strength than revenge
• How another person can control you when they can control your reactions
• Learning patience and mercy from the way Jesus has treated us
• Allowing Jesus to control our strength

TODAY'S CHALLENGE

Identify one situation where you normally react instead of respond.

Maybe it's something your wife says, a situation at work, your children, or someone from your past. When that trigger comes today, don't react immediately.

Stop. Pray. Control your mouth, control your hands, and control your attitude. Then ask:

“How would Jesus respond here?”

Choose meekness - not because you're too weak to respond differently, but because you're strong enough to let Jesus control your strength.

JOIN US SATURDAY

If you're in or around Blytheville, Arkansas, join us for the Sharpening Men Breakfast every Saturday at 9:00 a.m.

Ruddle Road Church of God — Back Building
1400 S. Ruddle Rd.
Blytheville, AR 72315

It's completely FREE and open to men 18 and older. You don't have to pretend you've figured everything out. Come eat breakfast and sit down with other men who are trying to grow too.

SHARE THIS EPISODE

Think of one man who struggles with anger or has confused strength with aggression his entire life. Send him this episode - but don't send it pointing a finger.

Send it saying, “This challenged me too.”

Follow or subscribe to the Sharpening Men Podcast so you don't miss the rest of this week's conversations about Jesus: The Model Man.

Visit: sharpeningmen.org
Questions, prayer requests, testimonies, or just need someone to talk to?
Email Tom: tom@sharpeningmen.org

Nobody gets sharp alone.