The fiery Elijah is one of my favorite persons in the Bible. Refusing to back down even when he thought he was alone, Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal. God was certainly timely in sending this prophet during the time of Ahab and Jezebel. He was not afraid to accuse Ahab of having “sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord.” The driving force in his life was, as the widow of Zarephath recognized: “You are a man of God, and . . . the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.” Elijah was a servant-leader.

Many business leaders have promoted the ideal of servant-leadership as a path to true success. The model for such leadership is Jesus Christ who taught us to serve others, and that true greatness does not consist of having the most power or the most honored seat.

Let us pray for our government leaders, business leaders, educational leaders, church leaders, and leaders at home. May God empower all of us to pattern our leadership after Elijah, the servant-leader.