I have always associated Memorial Day with honoring the sacrifice of the men and women of our Armed Services. Mostly my focus was the “armed” part and not the “service” part. Reading emails and watching our sunset, a new vision of Memorial Day dawned on me. Lately, I have noticed some ex-military friends turned business leaders continue their armed service in a servant leadership sort of way. They still do battle but in a different way. The have traded their M-1’s, flak jackets, and helmets for new armor. They put on “the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the footwear of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.¹” They go to battle everyday against the forces that could hold back their team’s potential. These leaders serve their teams with “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.²” And they are winning the battle. These leader’s organizations are growing, and their employees are more engaged than their competition. I will always be grateful for our Armed Services. I am also grateful for the additional branch of armed service called Servant Leadership. Happy Memorial Day!
¹ Ephesians 6:13-17 NIV
² Galatians 5:17 NIV