Using Authority to Serve, Not Control [TDPOW #114]
- Staff
- Jun 16
- 2 min read
Scripture
Mark 10:43–44 — “…whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.”
Devotional
Authority at work—whether over a team, a project, or a process—is a form of stewardship. Jesus radically redefines greatness: not as dominance or status, but as service. In His Kingdom, the highest roles are measured by how much they bless, not how much they control.
As a leader or supervisor, you have real influence over people’s workloads, opportunities, and daily experience. You can use that authority to build others up or to use them for your own ends. Servant leadership doesn’t mean avoiding hard decisions; it means making them with humility, fairness, and compassion.
Even if your title is small, you likely have someone you influence—new employees, students, vendors, volunteers. Stewarding authority at any level means asking, “How can I use what I’ve been given to help others thrive and point them to Christ?”
Reflection Questions
Where do you currently hold authority or influence at work, formally or informally?
How are you using that authority—to serve others or to protect yourself?
What is one practical way you could pursue “greatness through service” this week?
Prayer
Jesus, You are the ultimate servant leader. Help me use any authority You’ve given me to serve, not to control. Give me a humble heart, wise judgment, and genuine love for those I lead. Amen.
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This devotional is designed to encourage you as you live out your faith in the workplace. It works best when paired with regular time in Scripture, prayer, and worship—the rhythms through which we grow to know Christ more deeply and become more like Him.
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