Response
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response2.docxKing Josiah's Servant Leadership: The nation of Judah
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COLLAPSE
Biblical leadership resembles and or aligns to the theory of Servant Leadership, leadership in which the leader takes on the position of servant in the relationship, focusing on the needs of his or her followers. Greenleaf (1977) posited that the first choice of a leader is choosing to serve others. A leader will accomplish little if lacks this "servanthood" cognition. The concept of servant leadership inspires subordinates to generate better awareness, trust, learning, and spiritual fulfillment at work (Chen, Chen and Li , 2013). Leaders who exercise the theory of Servant Leadership typically posse some, if not all, of the following attributes (Andersen, 2018):
Listening
Empathy
Healing
Awareness
Persuasion
Conceptualization
Foresight
Stewardship
Commitment to the growth of people; and
Building community
King Josiah’s reign was reflective of the aforementioned attributes of servant leadership; he first and foremost honored and served Yahweh that naturally resulted in him being of services to the people of Judah. Josiah was known for being an obedient king, wholeheartedly living by what is known as the Shema. The Shema is a confession that states” The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all of your soul, and with all your strength” (Merida, 2015, p. 299). Josiah was passionate about God from the time of his youth, Josiah (1) valued God’s word, (2) humbled himself, and (3) obeyed God’s word, and Josiah was God’s servant. “May God give us a heart like the psalmist: “My heart fears only your word” (Psalm 119:161) (Merida, 2015 p. 301).
God’s word (book of the law) had been hidden away by King Manasseh, in the Lord’s temple but found by a high priest and given to Shaphan whom made Josiah aware of it. Josiah valued God’s word, humbling himself before it because he believed God spoke through his word. Josiah responded to God’s word with tenderness or with a soft heart, wanting to know the meaning of the words or scriptures (openness) which made God inclined to bless Josiah, delaying judgment during Josiah’s reign.
Josiah’s obedience leads him to begin spiritual reformation in Judah to include (but not comprehensive of):
Deposing pagan clergy
Defying Judah’s high places, deposing of their priests
Pulverizing the Asherah image
Destroying fertility workshops
Eliminating Solomon’s folly
Instituting a purge throughout the northern cities
(Merida, 2015, p. 305).
These acts of obedience by Josiah were carried out based upon the law, God’s word. Josiah had to open his heart and listen in order to hear and be obedient to God’s word. But in order to do this, there had to be awarenessof the word, which was brought to fruition upon the re-discovery of “the book of the law”. Josiah became asteward of God’s word for the people of Judah. Josiah’s display of servant leadership guided by his moral principles, God’s law; he had the foresight to shift his focus from repair of the temple to spiritual reformation of the people of Judah.
This foresight was spurred by his obedience to God and his commitment to the spiritual growth of the people of Judah. His leadership and acts of reformation brought healingto the people of Judah through his reinstitution of the Passover. Josiah knew his acts of reformation would not save the nation of Judah but he obeyed anyway, “he obeyed out of love for Yahweh, not for what obedience may bring practically” (Merida, 2015, p. 305). Jesus said: “whoever wishes to be the great come great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve” (Bible, Matthew 20:27–28). Josiah’s obedience required sacrifice, attacking idols, in an effort to reorient the lives of the Judeans.
