Mike Bonem
Bible trivia: name the servant who was traveling with Saul when they encountered Samuel, ultimately leading to the anointing of Israel’s first king?
It’s a trick question, because this person who plays a pivotal role in Israel’s story in 1 Samuel 9 is not named. Of course, this is just one of many biblical examples where God uses an unnamed person or minor character to change the course of history. Think of the nameless cupbearer to Pharoah, who remembered that his former cellmate Joseph had the gift of interpreting dreams. Or Hilkiah and Shaphan, whose discovery of the Book of the Law during King Josiah’s reign led to a national revival (2 Kings 22). Or Lydia, whose simple act of hospitality led to the start of the church in Philippi (Acts 16). Or Barnabas, who brought Paul back to help lead the growing church in Antioch (Acts 11).
Today we tend to equate leadership with prominence. We often think of leaders as “large and in charge.” Leaders fill the room. They have millions of social media followers. If prominence is the defining characteristic of leadership, then aspiring leaders should focus on “building their platform.” They should look for opportunities to be in the spotlight and attract followers. They might even have disdain for menial tasks that don’t boost their image, tasks like those performed by the unnamed servant.
The problem with this understanding of leadership is that it doesn’t align with Scripture. Humility and faithfulness are hallmarks of biblical leadership. Paul reminds us to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves…” (Phil 2:3-4). In choosing David as Israel’s second king, God tells Samuel, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). In the parable of the talents, the servant who faithfully invests two talents receives the exact same commendation as the one with five (Matthew 25).
What is your internalized definition of leadership? Not the words you’d tell others about leadership, but the way it shows up in your actions. Is receiving recognition important? Does it bother you when someone else gets attention? How do you react to routine and unnoticed tasks?
It’s worth observing that while we know Saul’s name, we remember him for the failures of humility and obedience that led to his downfall. Meanwhile, an unnamed servant is only known for the faithful part he played in God’s story.
