Odell on his bulldozer

The Servant/Leader

Yesterday, I felt pretty puny, but after reading again from the book of Job, I don't want to offer any complaint. After church I went home and napped in my recliner. Later Odell came into the house dressed in work clothes where he had been out working on my septic tank and drainage problems. He was finished for the day but told me he wanted to finish this part up on Monday. Throughout the years I have many images in my mind of Odell in his work clothes, working on the farm, working in his garage, digging with his backhoe, or running his dozer as in the picture above. I even remember a time when he went to help this man clean out his chicken houses! He has never shirked from work.

Today, Odell is a Commissioner here in Whitfield County. He is a successful business man and the founding pastor of our congregation. What I want to point out is that he has modeled to others what it is to be a Servant/Leader. There are many who clamor to obtain position, power, and authority, but the pathway to servanthood is not crowded. What a powerful thing it is to lead by example.

Often I hear Odell comment on others who demonstrate a spirt of servanthood, like my friend Rocky, in the article on January 2nd. Why do you think we have so many people like him at Christian Fellowship? I believe it's because they have seen servanthood modeled.

Remember what Jesus did in John 13:3-5?

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Here after the Passover meal, even though "the Father had put all things under his power," Jesus took the role of the lowest of servants and wahsed the disciples' feet. Do you think that's Odell is doing? Is he just reflecting Jesus to us? I certainly believe that he is. That kind of example makes me want to be a servant/leader too.