Solomon once observed that vocational excellence will often be rewarded with recognition from people in high places. “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings and not before obscure men” (Prov 22:29). God has created the world in such a way that those who do good work will be acknowledged and honored in some measure, whether that honor is large and global, or small and local.
For the Christian, vocational excellence is sought first and foremost for the glory of Christ, not for personal fame and fortune (1 Cor 10:31; Col 3:23; Eph 6:5-9). The path to promotion comes not by seeking the promotion itself but by seeking first the kingdom of God and aiming all our professional energy at pleasing our Savior. Self-promotion is contrary to God’s will for the Christian because it takes into our own hands what God has firmly placed in the hands of those around us. “Let another praise you and not yourself; a stranger and not your own lips” (Prov 27:2). Our business is to grow our skills to be of better use to others; it’s the business of our employer to recognize our excellence.
But what happens when you are recognized for your vocational excellence? What do you do when God providently locates you in a place of leadership, influence, and expertise? Is the Christian response to shun such promotions? Not necessarily. And probably not usually.
Leadership: Not for You, but for Those You Lead
Actually, Scripture teaches us that one’s exaltation to a place of leadership is not for that leader’s own sake at all but for the benefit of the people he leads. While many in the world pursue professional advancement for reasons of personal aggrandizement, Christ calls Christians to embrace a completely different motive: service. Our Lord calls us to use leadership as an opportunity to bless others.
And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:42-45).
Jesus isn’t abolishing leadership in the church or telling his apostles never to aspire to leadership. He would go on to distinguish his apostles from other believers and commission them to authoritatively teach his new church and lead it in a decidedly biblical direction (Eph 2:20; Acts 1:18-2:42). But Jesus is emphasizing the distinctive spiritual nature of Christian leadership. When someone is exalted to the position of leader, manager, or apostle (as in Jesus’ day), the exaltation is not for the leader’s personal gain or glory. Rather, his promotion is to be stewarded as a means of service to the people under him.
David recognized this truth when God established him as king over Israel and bestowed upon him the fame and favor of the neighboring nations. His exaltation was not to be spent on himself but used for the good of the nation.
And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also masons and carpenters to build a house for him. And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel (1 Chron 14:1-2; emphasis added).
Was David highly exalted in the land of Israel and in the eyes of surrounding nations? Yes. Did he enjoy local and international fame? Yes. But David never sought his fame, nor was his renown for his own sake. God appointed David as king of Israel, and David was to us his position for the temporal and spiritual blessing of God’s people.
David fulfilled this role well in the first years of his reign. He defeated the Philistines (1 Chron 14:8-17), brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (1 Chron 15:1ff), led the people in God-exalting worship (1 Chron 16:8-36), and achieved victory over other surrounding hostile nations (1 Chron 18:1-13). The narrative in Chronicles sums up the early stages of David’s kingship like this: “So David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and equity to all his people” (1 Chron 18:14). David was using his fame and authority to serve the nation, not himself.
Sadly, David would eventually use his position and power to commit two heinous sins. First, he would use his authority as king to take another man’s wife and commit adultery with her. Then, to cover his tracks, he would tell his military leader to have her husband killed in battle so David’s sin would remain a secret.
Jesus: The Perfect Example of Leadership for the Good of Others
That’s why we must turn to Jesus Christ as the supreme example of how to steward our promotion. In one of the most profound and moving texts in the New Testament, Paul tells us that the Son of God, prior to his incarnation, existed in the form of God, yet did not view his exalted status as a means for personal advantage, but instead used his deity to serve lost and sinful people (Phil 2:5-7). Instead of remaining in heavenly glory, enjoying the bliss of angelic worship, the Son humbled himself, became a man, and died on behalf of sinful rebels.
Yet, during his incarnation, Jesus never forsook his calling to lead. He carried out his Father’s plan with unflinching resolve, taught crowds authoritatively without partiality, led and trained his disciples, and even rebuked one of his closest disciples when he got in the way of Jesus’ mission (Matt 16:23; John 13:8).
This position and power, however, were never utilized to gain earthly advantage over people. Indeed, Jesus did not live an extravagant, indulgent life from the wealth he gained from bilking his followers of their hard-earned money. Rather, he used his divine power to heal physical ailments and feed hungry followers. He used his wisdom to teach his disciples. And he used his perfect deity and his sinless humanity to rescue sinners from death and hell. Even today, as Jesus is exalted as King over all creation, he uses his power, position, and infinite wealth to save any who will call on him: “[F]or the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on him will be saved” (Rom 10:12b-13).
This is precisely what greatness does. It does not use one’s glory merely for one’s advantage, but for the advantage of those they lead.
Conclusion: Use Your Promotion Well
If God has established you in a place of leadership or given you some measure of fame or fortune, remember that such gifts are resources to steward for the good of those around you, not advantages to spend on yourself. If you’ve been recently promoted, remember that God did not exalt you so that you could pad your resume, get a nice pay bump and bonus, and smooth the road to another, better-paying job across town. No, your promotion is for the good of your present company, the blessing of your fellow employees and subordinates, and the glory of God. God has put you in a place of influence so that you might do genuine good to others and shine a spotlight on Jesus Christ.
